


The Call of the Sea

by Crollalanza



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, side pairing: Bokuro, side pairing: Keishin/Saeko, surfer/merman au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2019-09-24 16:55:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 38,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17104493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crollalanza/pseuds/Crollalanza
Summary: As a surfer, Sawamura Daichi had the utmost respect and love for the ocean. He knew the dangers, and knew it could one day take his life.But not now, not yet, not when responsibility in the shape of a nephew had entered his life. But alone one morning, waves forcing him onto the rocks, is there any escape from the call of the sea?Enter Sugawara Koushi, a merman with an insatiable curiosity and in particular a fascination for the human who rides the waves.





	1. Cacophony

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Adelaida](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adelaida/gifts).



> For the beautiful Ola, whose work is a constant inspiration. 
> 
> (I got there in the end!)

When he thought back, what he remembered was the roar in his ears, the crash and thunder of water enveloping, the crush in his lungs as he struggled not to breathe and then the pain when he was dashed against the rocks.

Regrets flashed in his mind, regrets at his stupidity for coming here alone, for taking the chance to escape so early in the morning. Because he fancied the sea was calling to him, and he wanted to tame his nemesis one more time.

For leaving such a bland note in case _he_ woke before breakfast.

For leaving him because now he was alone. 

For not saying ‘I love you’.

He would die here, taken by the sea as punishment for his arrogance, not even leaving a good looking corpse, but one that would be flung back contemptuously on shore, with a caved in skull and a splintered surfboard.

A shriek clashed into the cacophonic symphony of storm and sea.

“It’s too late!”

_No … no it’s not._

“Leave him!”

“H-help … me!” But the crush in his lungs, stopped his yell and even if there was someone there, and this was not a hallucination brought about by lack of air, they would not have heard him.

_Sorry, Shou-chan._

***

“Sawamura-san, can you hear me?”

If this was death, Daichi wondered why it smelt of disinfectant.

“Sawamura-san, if you can hear me, then open your eyes.”

It wasn’t black anymore, or deep blue. There was grey and white and flashes of light.

“He’s responsive.”

“Sawamura-san, can you squeeze my hand?”

_Why?_

“Yes, he heard that. Now for his feet.”

_Why are you scratching them?_

“Reflexes are good. No nerve damage evident. I’m going to remove the brace.”

There was a pause, and the light seemed to fade again, then the voice started.

_Female. Bossy,_ Daichi thought.

“Sawamura-san, you’re in hospital and have been under sedation. I am a doctor.”

His lids were lead. His mouth dry, but he managed to part his lips. “Shouyou?”

“Your nephew?” A different voice, another female, warmer.

He wanted to nod, but he couldn’t move his neck. _Brace_ , he remembered. “Yeah, nephew,” he rasped.

“He’s outside with Ukai-san.”

Ukai? He tried to process the name. The beach shop... No, it was bait. Fisherman, or something. A picture was forming of a fierce man, cigarette in hand and blond hair scragged back in a band. They were on nodding terms, but nothing more. He licked his lips, tasting salt and the grit of sand. “Why him?”

“He saved you, Sawamura-san,” the gentler female replied. “Ukai-san pulled you from the water and called the ambulance.”

_Ukai did?_

_Really?_

There was something niggling at him. Something like an itch, telling him that wasn’t right.

_Arms lifting him, one hand under his chin, another laced across his chest, gliding through the current._

But what did he know.

 “I’m removing the collar now, Sawamura-san. Don’t move until I say you can. There’s no sign of a fracture, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“Shouyou?”

“You can see him soon.”

“Great,” he mouthed and relaxed.

 

***

Shouyou came into the room in a very un-Shouyou-like way. He didn’t bound. He crept in, slightly behind Ukai, and his eyes were on his feet.

“Hey, buddy,” Daichi rasped.

Startled, Shouyou jerked back then froze, so Daichi cleared his throat and tried again, this time holding out his hand.

“Shou-chan, it’s okay.”

“You’re hurt.”

“Yeah, a little. Broken arm, bruised rib, bit of a sore head, and some bruises, but nothing that won’t mend.”

“Ukai-san said you went surfing.”

Ah, the belligerence had returned, the ‘how-dare-you-go-without-me’ jut of his lip.

“Yeah, sorry,” Daichi replied, and tried not to wince as he grinned. “I was an idiot and went out too far.”

“You sure did,” Ukai muttered.

“The nurse told me I have you to thank,” Daichi said.

“It was nothin’.”

“Where was I?”

“On the beach. Tide musta brought you in. I was up early, about to take the boat out, but I saw you instead.”

The answer was credible, but it had the air of someone who’d told the story a few times, making sure it sounded authentic. Unless Daichi was imagining it, which was possible after all the sea water he’d sucked into his lungs.

But …

He’d been face down in the sea. Someone’s hands had slipped round his waist, turning him over and then thumping his chest.

And two voices, arguing fiercely. One female, he remembered that, and the other ...

(‘He’s dead, it’s too late! Leave him.’

‘No, it’s not. I can feel life still in him.’

‘You’ll be seen!’

‘I won’t leave him, and it’s still early. Help me with this, _please_ , and I’ll stay away… I won’t risk anyone seeing me again.’)

A soft voice. But impassioned.

Ukai was coughing, and his fingers were fiddling with the front of his jacket. Nicotine stained fingertips.

_A voice not roughened by cigarettes and whisky._

“When are you getting out of here?” Shouyou asked.

“Ah, not sure,” Daichi said, and beckoned to him. “You can probably bunk down here, if you’d like. Just until your Gran gets here.”

“Go home!” Shouyou’s face fell and he didn’t move, not even when Ukai prodded him forwards.

“You can’t stay in the hotel by yourself,” Daichi replied. “Night staff were happy enough to keep an eye on you when I went out first thing, but not full time.”

“Kid could stay with me,” Ukai muttered. “I got room, and ... like ... I already got a kind of cousin bunkin’ with me, so ...” He shrugged. “It’s up to you.”

“He means Tanaka!” Shouyou said, and for the first time since he’d entered the hospital room, his face lit up with a smile. “He’s cool, so can I? Can I? Can I?”

Tanaka Ryuunosuke. Crew cut kid, belligerent to look at, and one Daichi had wondered if he’d have to warn Shouyou about. But Tanaka’s looks had proved deceptive and as Ukai’s assistant, he’d been obliging, friendly, if a little ham-fisted.

“I didn’t know he lived with you.”

“Summer job,” Ukai muttered. “Look, Hinata’s very welcome to stay. They’ll have t’ share a room, but Ryuu’s said he don’t mind. My Mom lives with us, and she’s happy enough to keep an eye on him.”

“You’ve discussed it already!” He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to stop the bombardment of information.

Ukai cleared his throat. “Look, you were out of it for a while, Sawamura. Kid needed to know what was happenin’.”

“I don’t want to go home.”

Daichi raised his uninjured hand, and flashed the pair of them a smile. “Hey, I’m not complaining.  Shouyou, if you’re happy, then that’s good enough for me.” He flicked his eyes back to Ukai. “Let me know how much he costs you. This guy eats Olympic size portions.”

“He can help me in the shop,” Ukai growled, but he was grinning at Shouyou. “That all right with you, Short-stuff?”

“Cool!” Shouyou dashed to Daichi’s side, wriggling onto the bed. “C’n I stay here a bit longer?”

Daichi raised his eyebrows at Ukai, who shrugged.

“I got some supplies to fetch, so I’ll pick the kid up in an hour. We’ll swing by your hotel and pick up his toothbrush and stuff.”

“That’s great. Thank you.” Daichi pulled Shouyou closer, feeling the boy’s breathing begin to calm. “I really am okay, you know.”

Ukai raised his hand as he turned to walk out the door. Wearing shorts, a flash of blue appeared before Daichi as he left. It wasn’t a surprise that Ukai had a tattoo on his leg, but unlike the star on his arm, and the crow wings on his back, this tattoo was far more detailed.

It was a woman sitting on a rock, with short chopped hair, a wide beaming smile, and a wink that encompassed everyone. She was beautiful, and yet lifelike, except for one thing.

Instead of legs, Ukai’s tattoo girl had a fish tail.

“A mermaid?”

“Say what?” Ukai had stopped in the door.

“Your tattoo.”

“Oh, that, yeah. I live by the sea, what do you expect?” The colour was coming back to his cheeks, and he waved again before closing the door.

“C’n I have a tattoo?” Shouyou asked.

“No chance.”

“Tanaka-san has one.”

“Really?”

“He has a mer _man_ , though,” Shouyou mused. “Or maybe it’s a merboy. I saw it when he was swimming.”

“And you asked him about it, I bet!”

“Yeah, he didn’t tell me anything though. Just said it’s a custom round here.” Shouyou shuffled his head onto Daichi’s pillow, and stared into his eyes. “If we move here, _then_ c’n I have a tattoo?”

“Nothing’s decided yet,” Daichi mumbled. He dropped a kiss onto his nephew’s head, hoping the boy wouldn’t think it too sappy, but Shouyou didn’t protest. “I have to see if running the surf school is viable.”

“But you’re the best surfer in the world!”

“Ha – not true, but thanks for the confidence, kiddo.”

 

Despite the early fears, the doctor released Daichi the following day. With strict instructions to get the dressing on his head changed daily, a prescription for antibiotics because of the seawater he’d chugged and another for painkillers, he waited outside on the pavement, flinching at the bright sunshine until his lift turned up.

“YO! SURFBOY!”

He grinned, albeit a little ruefully, and lifted his hand, before remembering it was the one in a cast. “Kuroo, thanks!” He squinted at the vehicle. “Is Shouyou not with you?”

“Ukai’s taken him and Tanaka fishing,” Kuroo explained as he got out the truck. “Thought you’d like get out of here a-sap rather than hang around.”

“You thought right.” The grin became broad, but he winced as he got into the truck.

“Pain?”

“It’s nothing.”

Kuroo pressed his lips together but didn’t pursue the question. “So, do you want to go to the hotel? Only, you’re welcome to bunk in with me and Bokuto for a while, but it won’t be that comfortable.”

“Hotel,” Daichi agreed. “But thanks for the offer.”

They set off, Kuroo turning onto the coast road. Late afternoon and the stream of traffic was heading in the opposite direction, affording them a clear stretch of road. Staring out of the window, Daichi watched the waves riding onto the shore line, white foam dusting each top as they lapped the yellow sand.

A calm afternoon. A good day to learn to surf or go fishing, not one for the thrill seeker, and he let out a sigh. He’d been stupid, so very stupid. With Shouyou depending on him, he couldn’t take risks anymore.

“Where did I come ashore?” he asked.

“Past the headland,” Kuroo replied, and slowed the truck, gesturing out to the horizon.  “It’s called Mermaid Bay.”

“Really? I’ve not been there.”

“It’s one of the small coves.”

“Are you sure?” The smaller coves were rocky and shallow, not the sort of place Ukai would normally have sailed.

“That’s what Kai told me.”

“Who?”

“He’s an ambulance driver.  He told me they had to park at the top and stretcher you up the beach steps.”

“Oh … right. I must have drifted quite far.”

“Current’s wicked here, you know that,” Kuroo replied.

_Swirling, dragging him under until an arm hauled him to the surface._

Daichi flinched. “Was I the only person rescued?”

“Um, yeah. No one else was in trouble. Hey were you out with another surfer?”

“No… I just … ” He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”

Kuroo shot him a puzzled look, but kept quiet for a while. “We found your board by the way.”

“Ah, cool!”

“Not really. It’s smashed up. We can repair it, if you want, but…”

It would cost money, probably be cheaper to buy anew, but then Bokuto and Kuroo knew what they were doing and the board was special.

“I won the championship on it,” Daichi said.

“Then we’ll give it our utmost attention,” Kuroo said. Smiling, he took a right turn, leading to the busier section of the town where Daichi’s hotel was. “Bokuto wouldn’t let them throw the pieces away. He reckoned you might want to keep it, even if you don’t ride it again.” Then he coughed. “This … uh … hasn’t put you off, has it?”

“Hmm?”

“The surf school,” Kuroo said. “Have you made a decision?”

“Not yet, but …” He laughed a little helplessly. “I can’t teach anything with a broken arm.”

“It’s spring and the tourist season’s not yet started,” Kuroo replied blithely. Then, pulling up outside the hotel, he switched off the motor and touched Daichi’s arm. “You have a month to do all the admin shit without the distraction of those waves you love so much.”

 

Exhausted beyond what he’d thought possible, Daichi lay on his hotel bed, closed his eyes and slept. Or rather he tried to sleep, but despite his heavy eyelids and leaden senses, his mind seemed determined to buck the trend and kept prodding at him.

He’d set off for his morning surf from the groyne past Kuroo and Bokuto’s surf shop. The cove where he’d been found was so far off course, that even allowing for the current, could he really have drifted that way without being dashed against the rocks?

He’d surfed in rough conditions before, but this time was different. Someone or something bobbing on the water had caught his attention. He’d wrenched to the side, heaving the surfboard with him, just as the wave crashed through him.

There’d been a voice.  

Two voices.

And arms wrapped around him, pulling him out of the water. Imploring him to hold on for just a little longer.

He knew he should be grateful that he was safe, content that he was alive, that Ukai had found him, and he wanted nothing more than to rest right now, but the trauma sawed into him.

The buzz of the phone next to his bed gave him an excuse not to pretend he could sleep, and he levered himself to sitting before reaching for the receiver.

“Your nephew is back with Ukai-san,” said the receptionist. “Shall I send him up?”

“Yes, yes, of course. And Ukai, too, if he can stay.”

“There’s another boy with him,” she replied, disapproval making her voice quiver.

He could hear Shouyou chattering in the background, Tanaka laughing and Ukai berating (but gently) to keep the ruckus down so ‘the lady can talk.’

“Send them all up,” Daichi said.

Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Ukai’s ‘sort of’ cousin, was a year, maybe two, years older than Shouyou. He was loud and rough looking, yet watching the boy as he hesitated in the doorway, only stepping into the room when Shouyou tugged on his arm, he found the knot in his stomach untighten a little. And he relaxed even more as both boys started to tell him about their fishing trip, Shouyou’s eyes round with excitement when he talked of the dolphins they’d seen. Tanaka, however, seemed to shrug, the incident commonplace with him, although he didn’t disparage Shouyou’s excitement in anyway, but looked on with a whiff of indulgence.  He sipped from his can of coke, and stretched his legs in front of him on the carpet, displaying a tattoo on his leg.

A mermaid, or more accurately as Shouyou had said, a merboy, as detailed as Ukai’s tattoo and with more than a passing resemblance to the boy who wore it. As if aware of the scrutiny, Tanaka shifted position.

“You weren’t impressed with the dolphins, Tanaka?” Daichi asked, hoping his expression was bland.

“He’s seen them before,” Ukai put in.

“But these ones jumped so high, Daichi-san,” Shouyou breathed, his eyes still full of stars and the sea.

“Not that high,” Tanaka retorted, a little scornfully. “My sister—” Coming to an abrupt halt, he took a gulp of his coke, then spluttered when he drank too fast, causing Ukai to whack him on the back.

“You have a sister?” Daichi asked, pretending he’d not seen the sudden alarm between the pair of them.

“Uh… yeah.”

“She lives elsewhere,” Ukai said, still thumping Tanaka. “Warmer waters, so the dolphins kind of … leap a lot.”

“OOOH!  Can we visit her?” Shouyou asked.

“Too far,” Ukai replied, sounding smooth.

“Don’t you see her much then?” Shouyou turned to Tanaka.

“She comes by when she can,” Tanaka muttered.

His face had gone red, and although it could have been because of the coke going down the wrong way, Daichi also noticed that Tanaka was avoiding looking at everyone, especially Ukai.

“Anyway,” Ukai breezed, and got to his feet. “We should be going. Shorty, if you want to come along tomorrow, give your uncle a chance to rest, then you’re very welcome.” He ruffled Shouyou’s hair. “Not too early, though. Give us a chance to have breakfast, okay?”

 

It was later, when Daichi had agreed to room service and the pair of them munched burgers and chips sitting on the bed with the TV on, that Daichi thought to ask what time the Ukais ate breakfast.

“Uh, when Ukai-san’s caught it,” Shouyou replied, pausing to measure two of his chips. “We had tuna sashimi this morning, _and_ he brought back aosa.”

“Thought you hated anything green,” Daichi teased and nudged him.

“This was straight from the sea,” replied Shouyou. “Ukai-san fried it straight away so it was crispy and not slimy _and_ there were crushed peanuts!” He munched more of his burger, then put it back on his plate, pushing it in front of him as if finished. “If we move here, I’d have aosa every day. I could dive and collect it, and learn how cook it for breakfast.”

“Shou-chan,” Daichi murmured and let out a sigh. “I promise you, I’m thinking about it very carefully, but it has to be the right decision, okay? If we move here, it can’t be just because it’s a place we like when the sun is shining. It has to be the right place for both of us.”

Shouyou gnawed his lip and gave Daichi a small but determined smile. “But it feels right, don’t you think, Daichi-san?”

And despite the wince every time he breathed in, and headache still permeating, Daichi had to agree.

 


	2. Konoha's Bar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It wasn’t that far out, and he figured even with his broken arm, he could hitch himself up on the rock, so taking off his trainers, tying them together to hang round his neck, Daichi waded into the sea.
> 
> “Yeech!” he heard and then a splash as if someone had jumped in the water, but there was no one around as far as he could see and even the seagull had decided to fly away.
> 
> “Hello,” he called out. “Anyone there?”
> 
> “Uh…” A smaller splash, and peering around the rock, Daichi caught a flash of silver hair, and then a face appeared bobbing up and down in the water.

They fell into a pattern over the next few days. With Shouyou keeping Tanaka company, Daichi would drop him off, then call on Kuroo and Bokuto. There was an empty shack next to their beachside store. It was small and in need of some repair, but it was nothing he couldn’t sort out once he’d recovered. With its proximity to the beach and to the surf shop, it was the ideal location if he were to open his school. Footfall was good, with two cafes, and ice cream stand, beach restaurant and bar all within staggering out of the sea and flopping on your beach towel distance. But that was in the summer. In the winter a different picture would emerge and although surfers still came out in the winter, the top class ones preferring the fiercer waves and solitude of the colder months, pupils for a surf school would be sparse.

“Lick of paint’s all it would take,” said a voice. “We could help ya.”

Daichi turned, a ready smile on his lips. “Bokuto, it’s good to see you.”

Bokuto grinned back. “Great to see you, Sawamura. And I mean it. Kuroo and I’ll help. And …” He tailed off, strolled into the shack, and smoothed his fingers across the counter. “It’s an amazing place to bring up kids.”

”Has Shouyou been talking to you?” grumbled Daichi.

“He mighta said something.” Bokuto beamed. “He’s a cool kid. I like having him around. And I think he’s good for Tanaka, you know?”

“Is he?”

“Kid’s dad died and we’ve never seen his mom, so …” Bokuto grimaced. “He’s been around adults a lot, so it’s good having a kid his age here. Gives him a chance to … uh … be a kid, I guess. And Hinata’s good at that.”

“He has a sister, doesn’t he?”

“Uh… yeah, but she’s not around much.”

He didn’t sound resentful. More concerned, Daichi thought, and perhaps bemused because to Bokuto friends and family were important, the bonds forged when young were bonds that should be fought for and strengthened. It was why Daichi was here after all, taking up the chance of a new life near his old friends.

“Ukai said they were ‘kind of cousins’,” Daichi fished.

Bokuto’s expression was guileless, head tilted to the side as he considered. “Don’t think they’re actually related. Tanaka’s dad was a fisherman, and it’s a close-knit community.” Then he grinned. “Think Ukai’s kinda sweet on the sister. Saw her once when she came to visit—all blonde hair and wide eyes that could kill even as they wink at you.”

“Ah… right.” Daichi cleared his throat. “I really should buy him something to say thank you properly.”

“Stand him a beer at Konoha’s,” Bokuto said, shrugging. “He won’t accept much else. Or … hey, you could give Tanaka surf lessons. Kid’s a natural in the waves, but his board technique is rough.” He nudged Daichi. “That’s why we need you here.”

“You and Kuroo can surf.”

“Yeah, not in your class, which is why we stick to boats, and you were always the better mentor,” Bokuto replied. “Anyway, if you decide to stay, just know we’ve got your back.”

He left, sauntering back to the store, and Daichi after one last look around the shack, decided to call it quits for now. He needed to think it through and wasn’t sure being inside a place that needed a fair amount of work would help. He’d always done his best thinking in the sea, paddling out on his board and making the scooch along the gentler waves, but with his arm in a cast and his still-protesting ribs, he hoped a walk along the coast breathing in the seaside air, would concentrate his thoughts.

 

Taking it slow, Daichi meandered along the beach, stopping occasionally to gaze out to the horizon. Pockets of people had started to arrive, locals mainly as it wasn’t tourist season yet, and wanting a little more solitude, he carried on walking and making his way to the rocky headland.

It was there he’d washed up on the shore.

_Or been helped_ , nagged a voice in his head.

Cut into the cliff face were a set of steps, fortunate as he was in no state to rock climb, so Daichi headed upwards, intent on finding somewhere more isolated. As a breeze rippled the grass around his calves, he stared down at the small cove below, trying to picture the scene from a week ago. A stony shoreline, and yet he’d been found on the sandy part at the top. Was that so unrealistic? If the waves had been rough enough to carry him up the beach, then he could so easily have been slammed into the cliff, but his head and ribs had suffered their battering in the sea.

He shook his head. Fretting over the accident was not why he was here, but he knew he needed to get to the bottom of his confusion before the niggle became an obsession. So finding the steps where the paramedics had stretchered him to the ambulance, Daichi headed down to the cove.

There was, he thought, nothing remarkable about it. Although sheltered from the worst of the winds, he could see why it was unused because the stones made it uncomfortable on the feet, and the rocks under the water’s surface made it treacherous for boats.

_Great for surfers,_ he decided and wandered towards the sea.

“Yeech!”

Huh?  Blinking, Daichi span around at the exclamation that appeared to have come from a rock in the shallows.

There was nothing there except for a seagull preening itself on the rock’s flat surface.

“Yeech, yourself!” Daichi shouted back. The seagull flapped its wings and took off, soaring into the sky to find a better perch.

It wasn’t that far out, and he figured even with his broken arm, he could hitch himself up on the rock, so taking off his trainers, tying them together to hang round his neck, Daichi waded into the sea.

“Yeech!” he heard and then a splash as if someone had jumped in the water, but there was no one around as far as he could see and even the seagull had decided to fly away.

“Hello,” he called out. “Anyone there?”

“Uh…” A smaller splash, and peering around the rock, Daichi caught a flash of silver hair, and then a face appeared bobbing up and down in the water.

“Hello,” said the face.

“Hi. Sorry, did I disturb you?” Daichi asked, edging closer. “I was going to sit on the rock, but if it’s taken then I can easily find another.”

“Sit _on_ the rock,” the person queried. “Not _in_ the water.”

“Ah, no.” Daichi pulled a face and held up his arm. “I’ve broken my arm and can’t get this wet.”

“Can’t get that wet,” repeated the swimmer. “Hmm, I didn’t know that.” Then a beaming smile appeared and a hand from the water waved. “I’m Sugawara Koushi. But everyone calls me Suga.”

“Sawamura Daichi,” he replied, and waded further, until he reached the rock and found a foothold. “You don’t mind if I sit for a while, then?”

“Not at all. I’m done with basking,” Suga replied. “Do you mind company? Only I saw you walking this way, and you looked like a man with something on your mind.”

Perceptive. Daichi clambered to the top of the rock, letting his feet hang over the ledge. Basking in this weather? It was hardly hot enough, yet Suga didn’t look as if he were shivering.

“You’re on holiday, I think?” Suga continued as he trod water.

“Sort of. I’m thinking of moving here and opening a surf school next to the beach shop on the promenade.”

“Ah, I know that place,” Suga replied. “I’ve seen the funny-haired people who run it.” Then he clapped his hand over his aghast mouth. “I’m so sorry, that was very rude!”

Daichi laughed, tilting his head up to the sky. “No, you’re right. I’m not sure either of them have used a brush in years. Kuroo swears his hair is bed head from clamping pillows over it. Bokuto … well, his hair is a mystery to us all.”

“Pillows?” Suga frowned, then appeared to check himself. “Most of the people I know have very … um … smooth hair.” He blinked a little more, then peered directly up at Daichi. “You have nice hair. I like the pointy bits on your face.”

“Uh…” he stroked his cheeks. “You mean the sideburns.”

“Yes…yes, that’s exactly what I mean. And it’s all short at the back and sides.”

Blushing a little at the man’s scrutiny,” Daichi rubbed the nape of his neck, the unfamiliarity of the undercut still making him self-conscious. “My nephew said my hair was ‘kinda uncool’ so I’ve just had it cut.”

“Neffoo?” Again Suga frowned, not, Daichi thought, because he was angry but confused.

“He lives with me,” Daichi explained. “That’s one of the reasons I’m thinking about moving here. He needs stability, you know, and my life’s not been exactly steady.”

“So … why are you hesitating?” Suga asked. “If your neffoo needs you here then it sounds like a good thing.”

“Um, well, it’s the viability of the thing, really. I have some money, and the summer should be busy, but supporting us both in the winter could be hard.”

“Money? Oh, yes … yes I see. But why can’t you teach people in the winter?”

“Not as many visitors, and the waves are unpredictable so not good for beginners.”

“And you wouldn’t want them crashing into the rocks like you—er…”

“What!” Daichi jerked forwards

 Suga swallowed then flapped his hand in the air. “I really must go. The sun is coming down now and I … yes … I have ‘things’ to do.” He twisted away and began a very odd sort of breast stroke keeping his body upright and head above water.

“What did you mean by that?”  Daichi demanded, but Suga didn’t stop swimming away. “Like me? How do you—”

“Another time, Sawamura Daichi!” Suga yelled back and then he submerged under the water, leaving only ripples to disrupt the waves lapping the rock.

Daichi kept his eyes on the water, scanning the sea as he waited for Suga to come up for breath. “Come back!”

But there was no sign of the silvery head, instead something like a dolphin’s tail whipped into the air, so briefly he could have imagined it, and then he was alone.

 

It was later, when the afternoon sun was beginning to descend into the sea, that Daichi and Shouyou who were strolling back to the hotel saw Kuroo and Bokuto.

“We’re going for a beer,” Kuroo said. “Join us?” He winked at Shouyou. “Konoha makes amazing milkshakes, too.”

“Ah, sure,” Shouyou replied, trying to play it cool in front of Kuroo, but then grinned up at Bokuto who promised he’d ask for extra chocolate. “Why did you decide to move here, Bokuto-san?”

“Cuz of the memories,” Bokuto replied. “I met that big rooster head Kuroo-san here when we were kids.”

“I didn’t know that,” Daichi put in, switching his gaze to Kuroo. “Did you live here before?”

Kuroo shook his head. “Came here on holiday. Met a dumbass owl boy on the beach while we were waiting for sailing lessons to start and we kinda clicked.”

“My parents knew Konoha’s family, which was why we was visiting,” Bokuto explained. “He only says I was a dumbass because I was searching for sea creatures.”

“Fish?” Daichi asked.

Guffawing, Kuroo slapped Bokuto on the back. “That would have been simple, but Sailor-Boy was convinced we were gonna see mermaids and krakens. He yelled every time we saw a dolphin.”

“I want to see a dolphin!” Shouyou piped up. “Tanaka-san says they can jump really high!”

“Then we must take you out on the boat some time, Shorty-kun.”

“You can be First Mate,” Bokuto added. “And when the merfolk lead us to the pirate treasure, we won’t share any of it with Blackguard Kuroo!”

Pleased with the plan, Shouyou happily skipped on ahead with Bokuto, discussing milkshakes and pirates with equal attention. 

So, falling behind with Kuroo, Daichi broached the subject of his morning. “I met someone today.”

 “Oya!” Kuroo smirked. “Are they hot?”

“Ha …” _Well, yes, but that wasn’t the point._

“Come on, you’re a single guy, not _that_ ugly,” Kuroo mocked, “so it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that a girl or a guy would—”

“It was a man,” Daichi interrupted. “And that’s not what I’m getting at. He … I think he knew about the … uh … accident, and I wondered who you’d told, that’s all.”

“It’s common knowledge,” Kuroo replied nonchalantly. “Ambulance had to be called, and this is you we’re talking about, after all. Who was it?”

“He said his name was Sugawara Koushi … but everyone called him Suga.”

Kuroo shrugged and his mouth slouched down at the corners. “Not heard of him, but ask Konoha. He knows everybody!”

 

Konoha Akinori, the owner of the bar they were heading for, was a lean fox-like man who’d taken over the bar from his parents. They’d moved to the town before he was born, which had gained him the distinction of being accepted by the locals even if he couldn’t trace his ancestry back through five generations of fisherfolk or hostelry owners. Because of this distinction, he flitted between the locals, newcomers and tourists, welcoming everyone with a wink and a sly grin. It was this emollient quality that had made his bar a success, but even though he made a good living, he still worked his shifts and as hard as the staff he employed.

He listened to Sawamura’s question, clicked his tongue and slowly shook his head, before pouring three beers and shaking up Shouyou’s drink.

“Extra chocolate, Hinata-chan?” he offered. “And extra ice cream if you’d like.”

“Please!” Shouyou replied, licking his lips in anticipation.

“So, you’ve not heard of him?” Daichi asked again.

“What did he look like?” came back the reply.

“Silvery hair, pale complexion… oh, and a mole under his eye.”

“Build? Height?”

“Slender and I don’t know because he was swimming.”

Konoha clicked his tongue, then presented the milkshake to Hinata. “Doesn’t fit the description of anyone from around here,” he said at last. “You had a conversation with him, yes?”

“I’m not making it up, if that’s what you think!”

“Not at all,” Konoha replied calmly. “I just wondered how close you go to him, that’s all. Sunlight can play tricks, especially after a bang to the head.”

“We talked for a while. I sat on a rock in the sea – he was swimming. He was as close as I am to …” He twisted around, seeing Ukai come in the main door. “As close as I am to Ukai, right now.”

“Ukai?” Konoha flipped his hair out of his eyes and looking over Daichi’s shoulder, he grinned. “And the beautiful Tanaka Saeko. Great to see you again, sweetheart!”

“Less of that!” she yelled back, but gave him a wink.

So this was Tanaka’s sister. Not as tall as her brother, and seemingly not as strong as she hobbled in on crutches, although Daichi couldn’t see a cast on either of her feet. Ukai had his hand on her back, guiding her towards a table by the window, where she flopped into the seat.  She was stunning, Daichi could see that, and recalling Bokuto’s words he quite understood why Ukai was sweet on her.

“Hey there, Shou-chan,” she called out and waved at them. “Is this your uncle?”

“It is!” Holding his milkshake in one hand and tugging on Daichi’s hand, Shouyou pulled him across the bar and to her table. “This is Ryuu-san’s sister.”

“You’ve met?” Daichi said, and smiled at her. “Your brother has been very good to my nephew.”

“I think he likes having a kouhai, particularly one as enthusiastic as Shouyou is,” she replied. She eyed his cast. “You had some trouble, I heard.”

“Ah, yes, surfing accident, but I’ll mend.”

“That’s good news,” she murmured, and then turned back to Shouyou, teasing him because he had ice cream on his nose.

There was something about her, something familiar, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. “Have we met before?” he asked.

“Us? I don’t think so,” she said, now rubbing Shouyou’s cheek with a napkin. “I’m sure I’d remember someone as handsome as you, sweetie.”

And he’d remember her, especially the way she looked with her choppy blonde hair and—

“One fruity cocktail,” Ukai growled, placing a brightly coloured drink in front of her. “Sawamura, how are you feeling?”

“Fine,” Daichi replied, and then laughed. “Oh, the tattoo.”

“Have I missed something?” Ukai asked.

“Your tattoo looks a little like Tanaka-san,” Daichi replied.

A little?  It was a lot like her, even down to the wink.

“I’m sure Keishin would tell you it’s a coincidence,” Saeko said, smiling at Ukai. “Or maybe that’s why he took up with me.”

Daichi smiled back, wondering how to pursue this without sounding rude. The thing was, although the mystery of why she looked so familiar was solved, there was still something else nagging at him.

“You look dead on your feet,” she said, turning to Ukai and booping him on the nose. “One drink and then an early night, yes?”

Dead … dead …

Why was that word ringing alarm bells with him?

“Yeah,” Ukai yawned. “Need to catch the early tide tomorrow.”

“Is that what you were doing when you found me?” Daichi jumped in. “Catching the early tide?”

“Uh… sort of,” Ukai muttered.

“I haven’t thanked you properly,” Daichi persisted. “Especially as it must have interrupted your breakfast plans.”

“No, we were fine,” Ukai replied. He reached for a cigarette, lighting it with a match and taking a long drag before replying. “Ryuu can cope with cereal for a day.”

“You must let me repay you somehow,” Daichi continued. “I could … um … help with your store or come out on the boat, perhaps. I’ve crewed before.”

“I’ll think about it,” snapped back the reply, then Ukai gestured towards his arm. “You ain’t much use as a shipmate in that condition, Sawamura.”

He wasn’t biting at the offers, not one nibble, so Daichi tried a different tack, mentioning surfing lessons for Tanaka. “You’ve helped me with Shouyou, so it’s only fair I should repay some of that debt.”

“Oooh, he’d like that,” Saeko said.

Shrugging, Ukai took another puff of his cigarette. “Sure.”

But Shouyou had reacted far more at the news, wriggling in his seat and almost upsetting his milkshake. “B-but, you can’t do that while your arm is broken, so …” He trailed off then smiled beatifically. “Does that mean we’re staying?”

He paused before answering, not long, but long enough to see a look of either alarm or determination exchanged between Ukai and Saeko. And then he ruffled Shouyou’s hair.

“I guess it does,” Daichi replied. “At least, I think we have to give this a go, all right?”

“ALRIGHT!” Bokuto yelled and clapped him on the back. “Konoha, this round’s on me.”

“Not for us,” Saeko called out. “I need to say goodnight to Ryuu.”

“And I’ve got an early start,” Ukai agreed.

“Staying then? Give you a chance to search for the mysterious Suga, eh?” Kuroo said, out of earshot of Shouyou, but not, it appeared, Saeko who flicked her eyes his way.

“Shouyou and the business come first,” Daichi said firmly, but a bubble of excitement teased his stomach, because now he’d made the decision, then how could he not meet Suga again?

“You have a mystery lover?” Saeko asked, her voice low.

But it was Konoha, placing a tray of beers and another milkshake on the table, who answered. “Sawamura met someone called Sugawara at the beach today. He has silver hair and a mole under his eye. They talked for some time … _apparently_.”

She raised her eyebrows and a delicious smile curved her lips. “Fascinating.”

“Do you know him?” Daichi asked, hoping he sounded casual.

She considered, then shifting her position in the chair, winced a little and rubbed her leg. “Apparently not,” she muttered to Ukai, then turned her lopsided smile back to Daichi. “He sounds cute. I’ll see what I can find out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot thickens ...


	3. Swimming by Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Was it normal to be so drawn to the place where he’d washed up half drowned? Was it morbid to be coming to his almost graveyard? Or was it out of homage to the place he’d been rescued, the shingle and sand that had caught him, the waves that had tossed him onto the shore?
> 
> Daichi returns to the cove but he's not alone.

Shouyou was flagging, the combined sugar content of three extra chocolaty milkshakes not enough to keep him awake, his eyelids were drooping shut until he rested his head on his arms at the table.

“I should be going,” Daichi said, a little regretful because he’d have to wake him and it was a fair walk back to the hotel.

“He can stay at ours,” Bokuto offered. “Piggy-back home, Hinata-chan? I’ll make my special Bokuto-san stack of pancakes for breakfast!””

“Cool,” Shouyou said, yawning. “Are they better than Daichi-san’s?”

Daichi chuckled. “I’ll swing by in the morning, maybe taste test a few.”

He left after settling the bill, intent on walking straight back to the hotel, but as he walked along the coast path, he heard a chug chug chug of a boat and twisted around.  The moon was bright, and Ukai’s boat unmistakable as were the two figures, Saeko’s gold-blonde hair haloing around her face, his hand on her back. And then, as they reached deeper water, Ukai stopped, and lifted her towards the boat’s railing. Daichi could hear her ripple of a laugh on the breeze, and then, as she stood on the side, she wriggled out of her jeans and pants and whipped off her shirt. Hurriedly looking away, Daichi backtracked to avoid spying on a couple of skinny-dippers, but then he heard a splash, and Ukai’s voice calling out a goodbye as clear as the night, and the boat started up again, coming back to shore.

“What the…” Daichi muttered, and backtracked into the shadows, moving swiftly out of sight and in the direction of the town.

What had he seen?  Nothing much. A couple on a boat and Ukai coming back alone. He’d not pushed her, not stranded her in the sea. She’d waved back, called out her own goodbye, he’d heard her laughing. So what had happened? Shaking his head, hoping to clear the fantastical thoughts swirling in his head, Daichi picked up his pace until he found himself in front of his hotel.

Saeko must have been swimming to another boat that was the only logical conclusion.

Except he’d not seen another boat.

And she knew who Suga was, of that he was sure.

He slept fitfully, the combination of his not yet healed ribs and uncomfortable cast would be enough to keep most people awake, but added to the confusion in his mind and the conclusion he wasn’t yet able to form, meant that at four am, he was staring as the dawn filtered through his window.

 

“Surely you’re not back surfing, Sawamura-san?” the night receptionist asked him fifteen minutes later when he got out of the lift.

He shook his head. “Not yet. I can’t sleep, though, so thought I’d watch the fishing boats. Don’t worry about my nephew; he stayed at a friend’s house.”

After she waved him a cheery goodbye, he tugged the zip on his fleece up to his chin and left the hotel.

He had no real plan, except that as Ukai could be catching breakfast, he might be able to catch him off guard, maybe fire a question about the accident, or even Suga. He’d always liked this time of the day before the world was awake, and wondered whether any of the boats could be persuaded to take him out as a passenger. But as he headed towards the dock, he was too late and the fleet of small boats were already casting off, some to the scallop beds and some further out to sea for the deep water fish. So kicking a stone across the promenade, and feeling too much of a chill in his bones if he remained immobile, he set off towards the headland and the cove beyond.

Was it normal to be so drawn to the place where he’d washed up half drowned? Was it morbid to be coming to his almost graveyard? Or was it out of homage to the place he’d been rescued, the shingle and sand that had caught him, the waves that had tossed him onto the shore?

_Or the hands that dragged me there._

As he rounded the corner, about to take the sloping path downwards, he saw a boat bobbing up and down in the sea. A fishing boat, and one he recognised as Ukai’s. Had he been out all night? No, he’d returned to the shore, Daichi remembered that. Had he anchored here to see the sunrise? He stared longer, trying to focus his eyes through the greyness around him. A figure was standing at the boat’s prow, and even at this distance, Daichi could see Ukai smoking a cigarette not fishing, but rather as if he were waiting. Ignoring the stab in his ribs, Daichi headed his way. About to raise a hand, to cry out he was here, he was forestalled by another voice calling from the sea. Ukai stubbed out his cigarette and leant right over the side. He was helping heave something onto the boat. Daichi blinked—not something but someone. Someone alive and wriggling and laughing in his arms. And as Ukai hauled Saeko up onto the deck, Daichi stood at the shore’s edge, and the breath stopped in his throat.

One of Ukai’s arms was round her shoulders, the other under her legs, except where her legs should have been was a long fishtail.

It was impossible, fantastical, the stuff of a dream or a nightmare, but even as he shook his head to wake himself up from sleep, he knew this was real and not a trick of the light.

Tanaka Saeko was a mermaid.

What he didn’t know was why the truth of this didn’t shock him. Perhaps it was because he’d always known the ocean held much mystery. Maybe it explained his affinity with the sea and why he felt the most alive when he was riding the waves. Or was it that a consequence of the near-death he’d recently suffered had given him a larger understanding of the world around him, an ability to accept the impossible. Or the more mundane fact that he realised now who had rescued him.

There was no point in hiding. In the middle of the beach, he’d be seen as soon as he moved, so he stretched out his hand and called out.

“Ukai-san, pleasant morning, huh?”

That flustered them. Turning around, then realising his mistake, Ukai dropped to the floor, his arms still full of Saeko.

“Make a habit of spying, do ya, Sawamura!” he yelled.

“Only when it’s something that affects me,” Daichi replied. “And it does, doesn’t it, Saeko-san?”

She’d wriggled into a shirt, and leant against the railings, the lower half of her body covered by the boat’s tarpaulin.

“What have you spied?” she asked.

“My sea rescuers,” Daichi said. “Or at least one of them. There’s another isn’t there. The one who saved me from the rocks and hauled me to safety.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “It was Suga-san, right? Is he a mermaid, too?”

“I found ya, Sawamura,” Ukai yelled. “Anything else is just the result of you swallowin’ too much water.”

“I’ll tell people that if they ask,” Daichi agreed. “Or blame the knock to my head, but there were people in the sea when I nearly drowned—a man and a woman—and it wasn’t your voice, Ukai. It wasn’t harsh enough.”

Then Saeko laughed. “He’s got you there, Keishin. Told ya those cigarettes were ruining your vocal chords. And Suga-chan is so pretty and melodic.”

“Whatever!” Ukai growled. “We can’t talk here, not yelling across the sea like this. We’re coming ashore.” 

Lowering a dinghy to the sea, he got in, then called out to Saeko. “You ready?”

A bit more wriggling, and then she stood up, her tail—no it was legs now—poured into trousers. “Sure am,” she said, and slithered down alongside him, making herself comfortable by stretching out her legs as Ukai rowed to the shore. He beached the dinghy, hauling it up the shale, then waded back in to scoop Saeko into his arms and carried her to the sandy strip at the back.

 “So …” Daichi coughed, standing a little away from them, feeling suddenly awkward as if he shouldn’t be intruding.

“What would you like to know, Sawamura?” Saeko asked.

What could he ask? Now he had the chance, everything he wanted to know left his mind, or sounded dumb. “Uh… you have legs.”

“When I’m free of salt water, yeah,” she replied.

“So… uh … do all mermai—uh merpeople, have legs?”

She screwed up her nose. “I’m unusual. My dad was human, mum a mermaid.”

“And your brother?”

“Ryuu can swim real well, especially underwater, but he’s more human than I am,” she said, sounding wistful, but whether that she was mourning her own lot or his, Daichi wasn’t sure.

A pause, and then as another wave crashed, Daichi asked, “You and Suga saved me, didn’t you?”

“That was all Suga-chan,” she said. “He was quite determined. It’s not like he has a reason to come this close to dry land—not like me—but he’s always been curious and then, well, he saw you and …”

“Saw I was drowning?”

“Something like that,” she mumbled.

“But you were there too?”

“Saeko fetched me,” Ukai interrupted. “She helped drag you up the beach and then ran for help.”

“Thank you.” Daichi swallowed.

“Anyone woulda done it,” she replied.

“But it’s hard for you to walk. Isn’t that why you use crutches?”

“It’s painful until you get used to it. And really, it’s Suga-chan you should be thanking.”

“And am I allowed to do that?”

“Hmm?”

“I remember him saying when I was in the sea, that he’d never take the risk of coming this close again. Will he be in trouble if your kind know of this?”

“Ah, he said that, yeah.” She grinned. “Look, ‘my kind’ don’t exactly search for human company, but around here it’s not unusual.”

“Konoha,” he guessed. “You looked pally enough with him.”

“Yeah, he knows. Akinori might have been born here, but still felt like an outsider, so he spent a lot of time alone at the beach when he was younger. Some of the merkids were curious.”

“The fishers know of you, too,” Ukai said, and tweaked her hair. “You will keep flashing them smiles and winks from your rock. They don’t say much though. Most of them think she’s a hallucination.”

“I’m their good luck charm,” she replied cheerfully. “Aaaand, Sawamura-chan, perhaps I’m yours.”

“Saeko,” Ukai warned. “What are you suggesting?”

“He wants to say thank you to Suga, and it’s not like Suga’s going to object.”

“He’s supposed to stay away! Besides—”

She was not to be deflected, pursing her lips in a determined line. “Yeah, well, if my Mom had done that then neither me nor Ryuu’d be here, so …”

“That’s—” He started to object, but just then Saeko nibbled his ear. “Okay, you’ve got a point,” Ukai rasped, and gently pushed her away. “He’s still not supposed to be seen.”

“Which has already happened.” She clicked her tongue. “Spying behind my rock, I tell you. Honestly his curiosity will get the better of him one day.” Then she smirked. “Funny that he weren’t nearly as interested in Kuroo and Bokuto, barely knows their names, but he’s been kinda fascinated by you since you first went out on that flash board of yours.”

She shivered, and Ukai removed his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. They made no attempt to move, though, sitting together and watching as the tide crept further up the shingle.

“I should go,” Daichi said, feeling a little awkward now. “If Suga-san does want to … uh … meet up again, then I’d appreciate the chance to thank him properly, but I understand he might not want me to intrude.”

“I’ll let him know,” Saeko replied, and sounding sleepy, she rested her head on Ukai’s shoulder. “When I can.”

“Sorry?” Daichi, from getting up, stopped in his tracks.

“He’s not around right now,” Saeko said, stifling another yawn.

“That’s what I was trying to tell you earlier,” Ukai interjected, and held her hand. “They don’t stick around for long, and Suga’d been here for longer than usual.”

 “You’re here though!” Daichi exclaimed, swivelling back to Saeko.

“Hey, watch it!” Ukai snapped, reacting to Daichi’s accusatory tone with far more anger than she did.

“Decided to find my land-legs for a while,” she muttered, placing a placatory hand on Ukai’s arm. “Ryuu needs me and I’m not such a fish outta water as the rest of ‘em.”

“Um… when will Suga be back, then?” He blinked. “Will he be back?”

She shrugged. “He only came here to see me off. I’m sure he’ll visit, but I couldn’t tell ya when. Could be a month, could be a year… Don’t know with Suga. He has responsibilities too.”

“Oh … right.”

There was nothing more to be said, and feeling again like an interloper, especially as Ukai had now enveloped Saeko in his arms, Daichi left them cove and made his way along the path. He passed an early fisherman coming into the jetty, picked up some saury and made his way to Kuroo and Bokuto’s house.

“Hey.” He grinned at Kuroo’s rather sour morning face as he answered the door and held up the fish. “I brought breakfast.”

“Damn early for breakfast,” Kuroo growled. “Short-stuff’s still asleep.”

“And Bokuto?”

“Gone running.” Kuroo yawned. “Where he gets the energy from, I don’t know. You’re the same. Why does no one appreciate a lie-in?”

“Best part of the day,” Daichi countered, then ruefully held up his plastered arm. “At least it was when I could get out on the board.”

“Won’t be long now,” Kuroo replied. He took the fish and loped into the kitchen, placing them on a chopping board before reaching for the kettle. “Tea or coffee?”

“Whatever. Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“I gotta open the shop soon anyway, so you kinda did me a favour.” He chucked two teabags in mugs, waited for the water to boil, and then swirled each mug with a spoon. “So … last night… did you mean it?”

“About staying?”

“Mmm, only if you didn’t you need to talk to Hinata pretty quickly. He’s excited and—”

“I meant it,” Daichi replied. “At least, I have to give it a shot and …” He peeped around the door, noting that Shouyou’s shock of orange hair was visible despite being bundled up in blankets on the sofa, and he was starting to stir. “He said something to be about feeling ‘right’ here, and … I feel the same way.”

“And it’s got nothing to do with the mystery guy you’ve met,” Kuroo mocked, but gently.

And Daichi knew where Kuroo was coming from, knew that the warning was mild but still a warning because uprooting two lives for a wisp of a pretty face and cheeky grin would do neither of them any good.

But he shook his head. “Shouyou’s the most important thing in my life. He’s the only family I have left now, and apart from his grandparents, I’m the only family he has too.”

“And they’re fine with you taking him away?”

Daichi inhaled. “They’re getting old and having a boisterous tyke like Shouyou around wasn’t part of their plan.”  He smiled to himself. “They’ve both worked hard all their lives and want to live the rest of it enjoying things. Can’t blame them for that. And … it’s not as if they won’t see him again. We’re only two hours away.”

“And you? Having a kid around kinda curtails your life, too.”

“All got to settle down sometime,” Daichi muttered, and took a sip of his tea.

But he was stopped from expanding by a patter of feet. “Daichi-san.” Shouyou beamed at him. “Are we going back already?”

“Nope, your uncle brought us breakfast,” Kuroo replied. “We can all eat together and then decide what to do the rest of the day!”

“Can I go and see Tanaka this morning? Ukai-san might take us out on the boat again.”

Daichi shook his head. “We’ve got things to do, kiddo.”

“Like what?”

“Like enrolling at your new school,” Daichi countered, and ruffled his hair. “I meant it last night. As long as it’s all right with you, then we need to give this place a chance.”

He was rewarded with an even wider grin, and a sudden burst of sunlight exploded in his heart. Most of the time, Shouyou was the mirror image of his dad, but the smile was all Mayumi’s, and it made Daichi even more wistful for his sister and what she’d missed.

 


	4. Reckless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A(nother) handsome merman appears ...
> 
> “Suga’s disappeared. That’s what I was trying to tell you!” He frowned again, and Daichi wondered if he were really angry or whether it was his natural expression. “I’m wondering if he’s been caught up in a net.”
> 
> “Noooo!” Saeko shook her head. “He’s much too clever for that.”
> 
> “He’s distracted,” Akaashi said, sounding very disapproving. “Keeps lagging behind the rest of us.” Then he huffed out a breath and his scowl disappeared. “I hoped he’d come to visit you.”
> 
> “Not seen him,” Saeko replied, and chewed her lip. “It’s not like Suga-chan to wander off though.”
> 
> “Like I said, he’s got other things on his mind.” Again his inscrutable eyes flicked to Daichi. “It’s you, isn’t it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few months ago on twitter, I did a meme whereby you had to mention five things that were important in your current WIP and bicycle spokes appeared on my list. And here they are!

The days merged into weeks and before Daichi had barely caught his breath, he was back at the hospital getting his cast removed. They’d moved out of the hotel and were renting a house near the town centre. Shouyou had started school—the same one as Tanaka but a year below—and was already making tentative friendships. A lease had been taken on the shack next to the beach shop, and with both Kuroo and Bokuto’s help, it had received new life with fresh paint and a few repairs.

And with the trickle of bookings over the summer becoming a steady stream, Daichi’s life was very much on the ascendant. He was busy, but not so occupied that he had no time for Shouyou, and for his own part, Shouyou was happy to help, often dragging Tanaka with him for an impromptu surfing lesson.

It was only when alone in the early mornings, or the evenings when he’d stop to watch the sunset, that Daichi allowed his thoughts to drift to Suga and whether he’d ever return.

 

“Back again?”

Recognising the voice, Daichi didn’t turn around, but stared out at the waves while he answered.  “Do you want to swim now? Would you like me to leave?”

“Naw, join me if you want,” Saeko replied and sauntered up to him, linking her arm into his. “You’re here to surf, right?”

“Mmm.”

“I figured you might as Shou-chan stayed over.”

“I’ll have Ryuunosuke over as soon as we’re properly settled and not living out of boxes,” he promised, and rubbed the back of his head. “Any … uh … news?”

“Lots,” she said, “Ryuu did really well in a maths test, Keishin’s thinking of opening the store earlier in the morning. His mom actually let me help in the kitchen last night and—” She paused, relented, then added in a softer voice, “Not from Suga. Not from any of them. Sorry.”

She dropped her arm from his and sensing her taking a step away, Daichi strode into the sea with his board.  He’d paddled way past the rock when he saw her again, and she swam alongside as he hitched onto a wave carrying him further out to sea.

“Do you miss this?” he called out to her, watching as she flicked her tail in the air, the early sunrise causing the scales to sparkle. “Do you miss them?”

“Yeah,” she replied, “but it’s got to the point where I miss Ryuu and Keishin more. And it’s not like I won’t see any of them again. They’ll swim by sometime and – Hey!”

He didn’t hear the rest, for a large wave rushed in and Daichi intent on catching it, bent his knees and braced himself for the swell. He was launched into the air, literally on the wave’s crest, the seafoam cradling his board, and this felt so good, this life force flowing through him as he rode the wave. The sea roared, and Saeko’s voice became a squeal, her words washing away from him. But as the wave died down, bringing him back to the regular ebb and flow, he looked around for her, prepared to apologise.

Saeko wasn’t alone but in conversation with another swimmer. For a moment, his heart leapt, but the sun was playing tricks on him and this man’s hair wasn’t white blond at all without the light behind him, but jet black and curling around his cheeks. Prepared to rush across, to protect her if necessary, he caught the attention of the pair of them, and saw Saeko’s hand grab the man’s arm, preventing him from leaving. Angry, he hissed at her, and from under the sea surface, Daichi caught sight of white and gold iridescent scales.

“He’s okay,” Saeko was saying. “And he knows about us.”

“You told him!”

“He worked most of it out before he saw me. He’s a friend, Akaashi-chan, why do you think I’m out here with him?” She tried a smile, but it appeared her companion was immune and he continued to scowl.

“He’s a stranger to me!” he snapped, and eyed Daichi up and down with disparagement, finally focussing on his legs. “And not a lot of use right now. Not with those things!”

“Why?” Saeko asked, immediately switching off her smile. “What’s the matter?”

“Suga’s disappeared. That’s what I was trying to tell you!” He frowned again, and Daichi wondered if he were really angry or whether it was his natural expression. “Again. I’m wondering if he’s been caught up in a net.”

“Noooo!” Saeko shook her head. “He’s much too clever for that.”

“He’s distracted,” Akaashi said, sounding very disapproving. “Keeps lagging behind the rest of us.” And then he huffed out a breath and his scowl disappeared. “I hoped he’d come to visit you.”

“Not seen him,” Saeko replied, and chewed her lip. “It’s not like Suga-chan to wander off though.”

“Like I said, he’s got other things on his mind.” Again his inscrutable eyes flicked to Daichi. “It’s you, isn’t it?”

“Huh?”

“The one Suga talks about. You do that thing where you pretend you can stand on the waves,” Akaashi said, deadpan. “It’s reckless.”

“It’s a thrill,” Daichi replied, stung but holding in his temper. “It’s also how I’ve made my living.”

“You’d be dead if it weren’t for Suga and Saeko.”

“I know that, and I’m supremely grateful they were—”

“Yeech!” Saeko suddenly screeched. “Akaashi, get underwater now. I c’n see a boat coming. It’s heading right towards us!”

And sure enough a boat was coming their way, approaching the mainland from the deep sea, its sail bulging then receding with sudden gusts and quiets of wind. Akaashi however, didn’t submerge, instead he waved his arms.

“What the crab are you doing!” Saeko raged, pulling on his arm. “We need t’ get out of here…OH! That’s Konoha, isn’t it?”

“He’s helping me search,” replied Akaashi and wrenched away as he started to swim, his arms cutting powerfully into the swell of the waves. “Any joy!”

“Who’s that with you?” Konoha yelled.

“Saeko-neesan and the human.”

“Who, Ukai? Letting the sail slack a little, Konoha leant across the prow of his boat. “Sawamura?”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“Get over here.” The habitual lazy grin had gone. “I need help!”

The urgency was compelling, so lying face down on his board, Daichi scooted across with Saeko by his side. They reached Akaashi, and kept pace until Konoha navigated his way alongside them.

It wasn’t only the grin that had disappeared, but his general air of nonchalance had been replaced by worry, and deep lines entrenched in his brow.

“I found him,” he said to Akaashi, his voice hollow. “It’s not good.”

 

“Suga-chan?” Saeko charged ahead, reaching the boat before any of them and grasped the sides. With Konoha hauling her up, it was only a matter of time before she was on board, and Daichi heard her yelp. He got there a split second after Akaashi, and launched himself from the board.

“Careful!” Konoha snarled as the boat began to rock.

But Daichi, staring at the figure slumped against the stern, couldn’t even splutter an apology.

Suga was white, not just pale, but icy-white, drawn as if the colour had leached out of him. Not only his face and torso, but the tail which Daichi half-recalled as silvery blue, was almost transparent.

The only colour was a striped towel clutched to his side, darkening under Suga’s fingers.

Blood, only half stanched by the makeshift dressing.

“What’s happened?”

But his question was swallowed up by Saeko’s cry.

“Was it whaler? Have you been harpooned? Or speared?” She peeped under the towel, before hurriedly plastering it back in place and increasing the pressure on the wound. “That’s not from a net or a rock.”

“Something caught me,” Suga muttered, screwing up his eyes in pain. “I was on the sea bed, heard a dredger and before I could get away, I got dragged in the wake and thrust into something sharp.”

“I found him coming up to the surface and hauled him on board before the sharks got a hint of that blood,” Konoha muttered. “Something went deep in about three times. It’s a thin blade of some sort … like a skewer.”

“There’s so much junk down there, it could be anything,” Akaashi said fiercely from the boat’s side. “It’s getting worse.”

By now Daichi had knelt by Suga, trying to offer comfort with a smile. “May I look?” he asked. “I have some first aid training.”

“Some what?” Suga squinted up at him, and if possible even more colour left his cheeks. “Sawamura … I … You… uh … you’re here!”

He gave a wry laugh. “I was rather hoping we’d swim into each other again,” he replied, and carefully peeled back the cloth with shaking hands.

There were three puncture wounds, evenly spaced apart, and of similar depth. With no pressure from hands, they began to bleed again, but the flow was more of a trickle than a stream.

“I’d suggest hospital,” Daichi said, “but … um … do you know a doctor who’d be … uh … discreet?”

“Not from the hospital,” Konoha replied, “but I know someone we can rely on. That’s where I was heading.” He leant over. “What do you think caused this?”

“Um, I’m guessing a bicycle wheel,” Daichi said. “If it was broken and embedded in the sand, then it could cause a lot of damage. I don’t know how deep these have gone.”

“Okay,” Konoha flipped his hair out of his eyes, straightened his shoulders and cast a look at Akaashi. “We’ll get him help, I promise, Keij, and I’ll come and let you know what’s happening as soon as I can. Don’t come too far in, I will find you, all right?”

“Sure,” Akaashi gulped. “Saeko, are you going with them?”

“No, I’ll swim back to the cove. Left my stuff there. Let me know of you need me, Akinori,” she replied and squeezed Suga’s hand. “Hey, you, take care of yourself.”

“Ha, I’ll try,” he gasped, with a feeble squeeze back.

“Well try real hard,” she murmured, and shot Daichi a glance, “because this guy’s been dying to meet up with you again.”

“Really?” His eyelids were fluttering, long lashes sweeping his cheek.

“You can trust him, okay, Suga-chan?” she whispered. “Your instinct was right.”

And then, with a small kiss on his cheek, she flipped herself off the boat, and with a last wave swam for the cove. With Konoha firing up the onboard motor and sitting by the rudder, Daichi stayed by Suga’s side. The worry was real—Suga’s torso was clammy and cold, and although his tail was still flopping dispiritedly, his upper body was starting to shiver and shake.

“We need a blanket!” Daichi urged. “He’s going into shock.”

“Take this,” Konoha replied and whipped off a thick sweater. “But leave his tail uncovered, in case you need to slosh some water on him. Suga-kun, I’m going to speed up now. Don’t worry about the noise, you’re safe on board.”

The boat began to cut through the water, Konoha driving it like a knife through butter, but gently so it didn’t scud and bobble on the water’s surface. And Suga after slithering into the jersey, slumped back, eyes open as he stared glassily at the sky.

“I don’t like motors,” he explained, glancing at Daichi. “Boats have propellers and things.”

That could slice someone in two.

“I understand,” Daichi muttered.

 And as he was shivering again, Daichi sat closer and ran his hands up and down Suga’s arms to warm him.

“Who’s this doctor?” he asked. “Do you need me to fetch them while you dock?”

“Not a doctor, and not necessary,” Konoha replied, and veering to the right, he navigated the boat around a small pier, pulling up underneath. He grabbed a phone from his pocket.

“Hi, yeah, it’s me. I’ve got a situation like last time.”

“No, it’s not one of the kids.”

“Yup, great. See you in five.”

“Where are we going?” Daichi asked, hooking his arm under Suga’s shoulders.

“We’re not. Shirofuku-san’s coming to us.”

“Yukie?” Suga jerked his head up, and winced at the effort. “I didn’t know she was back. That’s good.”

It was less than five minutes, but soon Daichi saw a pale blue van heading their way. Painted with bright fish and marine animals, the driver parked up then flew out of the van, running down across the beach until they reached the pier.

Wearing what looked like a lab coat over a dark suit, her hair was bound tight in a braid, lending her a serious appearance, only belied by the hair bauble in the shape of a starfish.

“Who is this?” she demanded, then shook her head, and clambered on the boat. “Never mind. No time now. Suga, where does it hurt?”

“My side. Something stung me.”

“I think it was a bicycle wheel,” Daichi explained and helped lift up the jersey and the dressing. “Are you a nurse, or something?”

“I’m very definitely a something,” she replied, and gestured to the van. “I’m a marine biologist. I work at the Aquatic Conservation Centre.” She smiled, her mouth a taut line, and pressed gently into Suga’s side, watching as a little more blood oozed, then pressed a pad of wadding onto the wound. Her other hand touched his forehead then smoothed a tress of hair behind his ear.  “Suga-kun, I’m going to give you some pain relief. It will take the edge off, but might make you a bit blabby.  You’re stable enough to move, so I’m going to get you to my lab. I can use an imaging machine there to see if there’s any internal damage, and we’ll … um take it from there.”

Between the three of them, they got Suga to her van. A few of the fishers were on their way into shore now, but they didn’t so much as glance their way, too caught up with their catches and nets to notice.  Shirofuku had come prepared, and with Suga lowered into a shallow tank filled with sea water (‘Never know when it’ll come in handy,’ she’d muttered, with a piercing look at Konoha) they set off around the winding coast road, pulling up a short while later outside a modern white building.

“It’s still early, so no one will be there,” Shirofuku declared, and punched a code into the gates so she could drive in. “We’ll go straight to my lab, then I’ll find a scanner. Hey,” she jerked her thumb at Daichi, “are you okay to carry Suga?”

“Sure.” Lifting Suga, he got him out of the van. Although he looked fragile, Suga was no lightweight, but Daichi didn’t buckle, and enveloped him in his arms, bringing his head to rest on his shoulder.

“You have very nice arms,” Suga muttered “And your pointy side things are even pointier close up.”

“Pain relief’s kicked in. He’s delirious,” Konoha snorted. “Suga, behave just for a moment, will ya?”

“But they are,” Suga insisted, and raising a hand, he stroked Daichi’s sideburn with his finger.

Daichi shivered from the touch, although Suga’s finger was quite warm now.

“Doubt there’s much wrong with you,” Shirofuku said, arching one eyebrow, “but I guess I should check.”

The lab she led them to was much like Shirofuku – businesslike but with a twist. She had posters on the wall, detailed graphs of the ocean interspersed with Spongebob and Ariel, and her pencil pot on top of a desk with tidy piles of paper, was shaped like an octopus. Telling Daichi to lower Suga onto one of her counters, she sped out of the door returning a short while later, slightly breathless, and wheeling some equipment in front of her.

“This is a precaution, Suga,” she started off saying, as she covered his stomach with gel. “We’d have seen more blood if the spokes and speared an organ or artery, but I have to make sure.”

“You’re so clever,” Suga murmured. “I don’t know what it all means, but I’m sure it’s going to …” His head flopped to the side. “I’m sure you’ll make me better.”

“I’ll try my hardest,” she replied with a tight smile, softening a little when he stifled a gasp of pain. “Poor Suga, you really have been in the wars.”


	5. Houseguest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unable to return to the sea, Suga needs a place to stay ...

It was with much relief that Shirofuku declared Suga’s internal organs to have been missed, showing them all the direction of the entry wounds. “You’ve been lucky,” she said touching his arm. “And so have I because I’m not sure what we’d have done if that had perforated something like your liver.”

“My what now?”

“Hum, well, it might not be a liver, but this big thing here,” she said, pointing to a mass on the screen. “The point is, you’re not that seriously hurt, but you’re going to have to rest up for a few days.” She clicked her tongue. “If I worked alone here, then you could use the tank in my lab, but I share it. Akinori, what about you? You have a bath which would do.”

“Parents have moved back in,” he said, screwing up his face. “Their place flooded. Should be habitable in a week or so, but …”

“Can you?” Shirofuku asked, turning to Daichi.

He answered immediately, not thinking of any ramifications, because this was Suga, who’d risked his way of life to save him. “Yes, no problem.”

“And Hinata?” Konoha snapped. “You keeping a secret is one thing, but he’ll rattle off his mouth as soon as he gets a chance.”

“No, I don’t think he will. He’ll understand.”

_Well, he will when I explain_.

“It’s too risky,” Konoha persisted.

“Then … I’ll ask if he can stay at Ukai’s for a few nights, or with Kuroo and Bokuto. I’ll pretend I’m decorating, or something.”

“Who is Hinata?” Suga asked.

“My nephew,” Daichi replied.

“Oh … Neffoo. Yes, you mentioned him.” He frowned. “What is a neffoo?”

“Uh, my sister’s son,” Daichi mumbled. “I’m his uncle. He lives with me.”

“Ah…” He sounded cheerful. “OOOH, does he have hair like the sunset?”

“Yeah, it’s orange,” Daichi said chuckling.

“I think I’ve seen him with Ryuu-chan.”  Suga’s face cleared a little, and then he closed his eyes. “I’m ever so sleepy, so if I could go somewhere to rest, then I’d be grateful. Can you take me to Daichi’s now, Akinori?”

“Let me dress that first,” Shirofuku interrupted, and smoothed her hand over the puncture marks. 

Suga winced, but complied, and as her nimble fingers, applied antiseptic, wadding and then taped over it, a little more colour began to seep into his cheeks. His face, which had been grey, pinked a little, as did his lips.

“You’re going to have to think of a way of keeping that wound dry, while making sure you don’t dehydrate,” Shirofuku said, stepping back satisfied with her handiwork.

“No problem,” Daichi said, flashing her a look. “I’m a surfer. I’ve got plenty of wetsuits.”

She blinked and then one side of her mouth quirked upwards. “Oh my God, it _is_ you! Sawamura Daichi, as I live and breathe! I used to watch all the contests when I was a student. Think I even had a poster of you on my wall! Wow, so you’re settling here?”

“Uh, yeah.” He blushed at her admiration, especially as Suga was eyeing him with even more curiosity and Konoha was snorting.  “I don’t compete anymore, so surf lessons and hiring out boards for a while,” he replied.

“So cool!” she breathed, and then appeared to shake herself and the fangirl left, replaced by the scientist. “I have a stash of antibiotics. The others have used them, so Suga will be able to tolerate them, and I can swing by everyday to change the dressing. If there’s anything at all you need me for, then call. Anytime.”

She threw her keys to Konoha, telling him to drive and return the van before lunch, and the three of them left, Daichi gathering Suga in his arms again, but this time bundling him up in a blanket Shirofuku had found.

Although more fishing boats had landed, the roads were clear and in very little time at all, Konoha had pulled up outside Daichi’s house.  Suga was yawning and his eyes kept shuttering like blinds. “This is where you live,” he asked. “It’s nice. Oooh, you have windows! And a door!”

“Sugaaaa,” Konoha drawled. “Stop pretending you’re that naïve. He’s seen houses before,” he added in an aside to Daichi.

“It’s a pretty door, though,” Suga said, utterly without guile or it seemed shame. “I like the way it’s got different colours on it.”

“Because the paint’s flaking off,” Konoha laughed. “Guess that excuse about decorating won’t be too far off the mark, eh, Sawamura.”

Then after helping them inside, and receiving earnest thanks for the rescue, Konoha left, and the pair of them were alone.

“So … uh … you need to sit in my bath, I guess,” Daichi said, carrying him into the bathroom, and settling him of top of the laundry box. “Salt water?”

“Yes please,” Suga replied. “Can I have it a little warm rather than cold?”

“Sure, and … um … I’ll find a wet suit top to cover your dressing.”

“Ah… right… good… this is rather itchy,” Suga explained as he wriggled out of Konoha’s jersey. “Um … I’ve not said thank you for letting me stay here.”

He’d reached the door, but hearing Suga say that, Daichi turned back. “Least I can do,” he replied, his voice gruff. “You saved my life, Suga. If you hadn’t rescued me, then I’d be dead and Shouyou…” His breath hitched, and he could feel a sudden mass of tears welling behind his eyes. Turning away he strode into his bedroom, but instead of grabbing clothes for Suga, he leant against the wall, willing himself not to cry, not to break, not now, not after holding it together for so long.

“Are you all right, Daichi?”

Years of competition had willed him to keep his cool, so it was a matter of moments and his fingers curling into his palm, which stopped the world from spinning. With a deep breath to steady himself, he rifled through his trunk, pulled out one of his wetsuit zip up tops, and went back to the bathroom.

“Here you are,” he said, plastering a smile on his face as he helped Suga into it. “That should cover you, and there’s a ledge in the bath, so you could sit on that… or … Sorry, do you need to be completely submerged?”

“We bask, Daichi, I told you that. I like to sit on rocks in the sun, or beaches in deserted coves in the moonlight. I can be out of water for a while. I once fell asleep and had to slither back into the sea just as the sun came up.” He grimaced. “I was stiff after that though, took me ages to get back into my stroke. So … uh—”

“I’ll run the bath,” Daichi said and gave him a smile.

It was as the water was running, and Daichi had swirled in some salt, that Suga grabbed his hand.

“Will you stay with me?” Suga asked, looking fretful as he bit his lip. “At least for a little while.”

“Of course,” Daichi replied, and glanced down at his hand, the one Suga was holding and now rubbing his thumb in small circles across Daichi’s wrist.

_He’s still under the influence of the pain meds,_ he told himself and tried to ignore the fact that Suga’s skin was smooth like glass.

Once in the bath, even if he were perched on the ledge, Suga looked less scared and far happier. He giggled at the tiles on the wall depicting stylised marine life (‘Starfish really are not that cute and jellyfish are much more beautiful!’) and asked Daichi to unscrew each bottle and tub so he could investigate. But he was tiring, his chat becoming interspersed with stifled yawns and his head lolled onto his shoulder once too often for Daichi’s comfort as he slipped a little further under the water, endangering the dressing.

“How about,” he muttered, touching Suga’s arm, “I let you sleep. You can wrap yourself in towels and huddle on my sofa if you’d like.”

“Do you have a … a … that box thing that shows pictures.”

“Television?” Daichi nodded. “You want to watch it?”

“I’ve only heard about it,” Suga informed him, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. “Keiji said Akinori has one in his bar, and Saeko’s always telling me about a show she catches up on when she visits Ukai. And Ryuu … oh he loves it!”

“Most people do,” Daichi replied. “Let me get the sofa ready and you can snooze for a while.”

Finding Shouyou’s lilo, Daichi laid it on top of the sofa, then carried Suga, his tail wrapped in soaked towels, into the lounge. Suga was flagging now, far less chatty and with slightly hitched breathing, but there was still colour in his cheeks and the blue hues had returned to his tail. Yet he perked up when Daichi switched the television on, and let out a squeal of gratitude on being handed the remote.

“Are you sure?” his voice was hushed in awe as he switched onto an advert for kitchen cleaner. “Wow, this … they speak … and move. Is everything this amazing? LOOK LOOK THE DIRT HAS GONE!”

Daichi bit back a laugh, trying to imagine what it would be like discovering something new and being that excited. He checked his phone, no messages, and it was still early but not too early to call Ukai.  “You enjoy, Suga-san.”

“Hi, it’s Sawamura.”

Ukai chocked. “Sawamura!  I was just about to call. How’s Suga? Saeko told me about the accident. And Konoha dropped by to tell us he’s at yours.”

“Yeah he is,” Daichi said and held in a yawn. “He’s okay and is going to stay here for a few days. I need to ask a favour though.”

“About Shorty?”

“You guessed it. With Suga here, I need you to—” 

“Don’t worry about it,” Ukai rasped.

“You can keep him there? Great. It will only be for a few days, I think. I’ll tell him I’m decorating, or something.”

“Well, I can, but it’s ain’t … uh … necessary.”

“Huh?”

Ukai took a breath, and Daichi could practically smell the cigarette smoke pluming from his lips. “Hinata knows. I don’t know how he knows, but Ryuunosuke’s lookin’ a bit sheepish, and the kid’s standing in front of me, jutting out his lip and lookin’ like he wants to fight, so … uh …”

“Hand him the phone,” Daichi said. “Hey, Shouyou.”

“Is it true?” he demanded, sounding pugnacious.

“Um… what?”

“About you saving a mermaid … um … merman?”

“It … uh …” Daichi chewed his lip. Across the room Suga was entranced by the weather channel, his eyes agog as the forecaster waved his hands across a map predicting sunshine for the rest of the week. “What do you know?”

“I heard Saeko-neesan coming back this morning. And then Konoha-san called round.”

“And you just happened to overhear, I bet.”

“I followed Ryuu-san. He was told to stay put, but he didn’t wanna, and then … Is it Suga-san?”

“H-how do you know Suga?”

“He waved to us on the boat once, and Ryuu was calling out to him, but he stopped when I came out the cabin and when I asked who he was talking to, he said no one, but I’d heard him, and then you were asking about someone called Suga in the bar and …” He paused finally taking a breath. “Is he okay? Konoha-san said he was hurt.”

“Um… he’s …” Suga let out a shriek of laughter, having switched to a documentary on … fishing. “He’s fine, Shou-chan. Look, I’ll be straight with you. He’s staying here for a few days. He’s going to need some help while he gets better and a lot of rest.” He paused and angled his head away from Suga, staring out of the window. “Are you okay with this?”

“’Course!” He could hear the beam of a smile and pictured the chest stuck out proudly. “This is so cool!”

“It’s got to be a secret, though. You understand that?”

“Daichi-san,” Shouyou replied. “I knew about Suga-san weeks ago, and I’ve not said anything, have I?”

Fair point.

Chuckling, Daichi asked for the phone to be given back to Ukai and was then confronted by Saeko demanding to know how Suga was. Saying nothing, he handed his phone over to Suga, gesturing that he should hold it to his ear.

“HELLO!” Suga yelled.

“YES I’M OKAY!”

“THIS TELEVISION IS FANTASTIC, SAEKO. THERES THIS STUFF THAT GETS OUT ALL KNOWN STAINS!” He stared at the screen again, mouth dropping open. “BYE SEE YOU LATER!”

And practically throwing the phone back at Daichi, Suga went back to watching the adverts. With Ukai saying he’d come over in an hour and bring breakfast, Daichi hung up and wandered into the kitchen to make a drink.

“DAICHI!” Suga cried,

“What’s wrong?” he replied, and darted back to the lounge.

“How do humans get so dirty? So many stains!”

 

It was a short burst of energy, and then Suga flopped, so by the time Ukai swung by with Saeko, Shouyou, Tanaka and Konoha bagged a lift, Suga was snoozing on the sofa, lightly snuffling into a cushion.

“He certainly looks better than he did when I found him,” Konoha muttered as they congregated in the kitchen.

“Yukkun knows her stuff,” Saeko sighed and handed him a large bag. “I brought ya some of Suga’s favourite foodstuffs. This is from the ocean—Keishin and I collected it fresh this morning—but he likes fruit too, ‘specially apples, and rice. He’ll eat rice ‘til he pops, so … uh watch that.”

Tanaka gazed up at Daichi, gnawing on his lip. “Uh…” he began.

“Ryuu, you got somethin’ to say?”

With a guilty glance at his sister and Ukai, Tanaka brought out a smaller bag from behind his back. “Suga-san likes chocolate, too. And cake. He’s … um … shared them with me before.”

Konoha, looking highly amused, slapped Tanaka on the back. “He’s had noodles off me before. Likes the spicy ones … a lot!”

Behind them all, his eyes on the door, Shouyou was fidgeting. He looked a little paler than usual, and although that could have been the effects of yet another sleepover and the early start, Daichi also knew how suddenly his bouts of exhaustion could come on, and how even if he was the liveliest kid in existence, he still found quiet time necessary. The look in his eyes, as if he were seeing a small step into the future and was unsure how he fitted in nudged Daichi into taking a step towards him, and placing his hand on his back.

“You’ll help me, yeah?” he murmured.

“Course,” Shouyou replied, but he was clenching and unclenching his hands as he spoke.

“We should leave you guys to it,” Saeko said and started to propel her brother towards the front door. “Let us know if ya need help, Sawamura.”

“I will,” he replied. “And thank you all. Tanaka, when we’re settled, you must come over and stay, and I’ve not forgotten about regular lessons, all right?”

And then it was the two of them, or three if they counted the sleeping merman in the lounge. (Daichi was surprised how normal that sounded in his head.) Shouyou sat at the kitchen table, while Daichi poured him a glass of chocolate milk, and then sat alongside, helping himself to a bar of the chocolate Tanaka had brought.

“So…” he began. “D’you have any questions?”

Shouyou considered. “Um… just one, really.”

“Go ahead.”

“How did you get to know Suga? Like, Ryuu-san says they keep out of the way of most people. Did you … um … catch him, or something?”

“Catch him? No, course not. I …” Daichi broke the chocolate bar in two, handing Shouyou half. “Remember when I had my surfing accident.”

“Mmm.”

“Suga saved me. He and Saeko dragged me to the shore, and she got help.”

All the colour left Shouyou’s face. “Was it _really_ that bad?”

“I was unlucky and reckless,” Daichi replied swiftly. “I’d not checked the tides properly and I was swept out to far. It won’t happen again.”

“Okay.” Shouyou sniffed then ate a square of chocolate. “Does Suga have legs when he’s out of water?”

“Ah, no,” Daichi replied.

“Then shouldn’t he be in the water all the time?”

“He says not,” Daichi answered. “And at the moment, unless I can get the TV into the bathroom, I don’t think he’s going to want to stay there for any length of time.”

At that Shouyou smiled and once again the light came back in his eyes. An eternal sunshine optimist, but even he had days of shadow.

“YEECH!” The shriek reached them from the lounge. Shouyou jumped and Daichi gave a grin.

“That’s Suga. Let me go and tell him you’re here and then you can meet him.”

He gulped at his milk. “Is he gonna like me?”

Staring down at Shouyou, his upper lip covered in a milk moustache, fingers sticky with chocolate and wide, wide eyes, heavy with concern, Daichi gave in to his impulse and hugged him tight. “I think you’re going to get along fine.”

Taking in a box of the food Saeko had left, plus a chocolate bar, Daichi poked his head around the lounge door, checking to see if Suga really was awake.

“Hello!” Suga said cheerfully.

“Hey there. I brought you some food,” he said, proffering the tray. “Saeko-san came over and Tanaka.”

“Oh, my favourites!”

“And … uh … Shouyou’s back. He’d like to come and say hi.”

Suga blinked, and his hand which had been reaching for the chocolate faltered. “Um… Neffoo is here?”

“Yeah, in the kitchen. Is it okay if he comes in?”

“Uh… do you think he’ll like me?”

Unwrapping the chocolate bar, Daichi handed it over with a smile.  Suga took a bite and a crumb of chocolate smeared his lips.

“You’re two peas in a pod.” Daichi raised his hand to halt Suga’s question. “I don’t expect you to understand that, let’s just say, you’re going to get along fine.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suga discovering television was a lot of fun. I used the Cillit Bang! advert because it always makes me laugh. The advert in UK is very loud and brash, so I hope it makes sense. It's called Easy Off BAM in other places.


	6. Because He's Worth It.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga's first day (and night) at Daichi's and his curiosity increases.

True to her word, Shirofuku dropped by that evening to check the dressing. A little askance at Shouyou’s presence, she was mollified only when Shouyou with extra solemn eyes assured her he’d never tell, and Suga raised his eyebrows in a ‘lighten up’ manner.

He was tiring now, although as Daichi had no idea of the energy levels of merpeople, he wasn’t sure if this was a result of the injury or normal for the time of day.

“You do need to sleep,” she said, removing the remote control from Suga’s reach. “It’s more important now you’re hurt, Suga, that you get proper rest to help you heal. And not too much chocolate, okay!”

After showing her to her car, Daichi walked back into the lounge, vaguely astonished that Suga hadn’t automatically put the television back on, but was now chattering to Shouyou, although both of them were stifling yawns. 

“Bed,” he chided Shouyou. “And make sure you clean your teeth.”

“Do I have—”

“Yes, you have school tomorrow.”

“Can’t I stay off?”

“No, absolutely not.”

Knowing when Daichi was serious, and when he couldn’t be pushed, Shouyou after a deep sigh, bowed to Suga, accepted a hug from Daichi and trundled out of the room.

“He is a nice boy,” Suga said, watching him leave. “Has he been with you long?”

“About six months,” Daichi mumbled. “He … ah … he was with his Grandparents for a while after my sister died, but they’re getting old and … well … she’d made me his guardian.”

Suga paused, stared at Daichi and then cleared his throat. “What did Yukie mean about having a poster of you on her wall? What is a poster?”

Deliberate change of subject- of that Daichi was sure. And he was pleased about it, although this was now veering into other uncomfortable territory. “Oh that. A poster’s like a picture. She had pictures on her wall in the lab,” he replied, flushing a little. “I … uh … was a professional surfer. I guess she followed the sport.”

“But you’ve stopped now?” Suga sucked on his lower lip. “Was that hard?”

“Yeah,” he admitted. “But it was probably better to leave now.”

“For Shouyou?”

Daichi smiled. “There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as being on the crest of the wave, but you always crash down at some stage.”

Suga was nodding, whether he knew what Daichi was talking about or was just agreeing anyway, Daichi wasn’t sure, especially as he looked very much as if he were holding in a yawn.

“Think you should sleep,” Daichi whispered. “I’ll go and sort out the bath.”

It was as he was lowering Suga into the water, propping him up with an inflatable cushion he’d found, and making him promise to call out if he needed anything at all, that Suga slipped his arms around Daichi’s neck. “Thank you,” he murmured, his lips brushing Daichi’s cheek.

His breath was warm, and this close his skin smelt not just of the sea but of the apple he’d eaten, and his hair was soft as it tickled Daichi’s neck.

“It really is not a problem,” Daichi replied, and his hand slid upwards smearing away a chocolate smudge on Suga’s chin. And then he straightened up and busied himself with adjusting the blind on the bathroom window. “Get some rest, okay?”

A small splash, a flip of Suga’s tail fin and a yawn that could have been a sigh. “Goodnight, Daichi-san. Pleasant dreams.”

 

And dream he did. A mixture of floating on the sea, the sun on his face, and waves lapping his body. Sparkling, crystal clear waters, and salt licking his lips, the foam of the waves and a laugh … a laugh like pure sunlight infiltrating all his senses. And then dream turned like the tide, and he was crashing into rocks, the laugh mocking and vengeful for daring to take on the sea. There were no hands lifting him to safety, no arms plucking him from harm’s way, nothing but a wave engulfing him, flooding him, choking him.

He woke gasping, his breaths heavy and fast, his entire body drenched as if he’d emerged from the sea.

Water, he thought and levering out of bed, he padded to the kitchen. It was cooler in there, and he stood by the sink staring out of the window for a while as he tried to clear his mind.

_Splosh._

He glugged his drink. His breathing had slowed now.

_Splosh._

And a tiny gulped back giggle.

Followed by another, a little louder.

Shhhh, he heard Suga say.

The bathroom door was ajar, the dawn through the blind slats highlighting not just an awake Suga, but also Shouyou who was sitting on the bath’s edge the shower spray in his hand. Both mirrored each other’s smile.

“You do know it’s four in the morning,” Daichi said sternly as he pushed the door open.

Shouyou jumped and spray from the shower head hit Suga directly in the face.

“Yeech!” Then Suga grinned. “Good morning, Daichi-san,” he chirruped. Looking disgustingly awake.

“Barely.” Daichi grumbled. “Morning, I mean.”

“Best part of the day,” Suga said, a little wistfully, then he fidgeted until he was sitting up further up the bath. “Hinata-kun was kindly showing me this.” He shrieked again as Shouyou flicked the spray over his tail. “It tickles.”

“And both of you should be sleeping,” Daichi said, and leaning over he turned off the water. “Shouyou, back to bed. Suga … you do need to rest, you know that, right?”

“Yes, I know. But it’s kind of boring not moving.” He huffed out a breath and glanced at Shouyou. “When I’m in the sea, I drift and it’s so peaceful. I can stare up at the stars and I know exactly where I am.”

“That’s so cool.”

“Maybe when I’m better I can take you one day,” Suga replied. “You can lie on that float thing and I’ll tow you along.”

“Bed,” Daichi said, nudging Shouyou before he pestered Suga with a thousand and one questions.

“Sorry.” Suga peeped up at him.

“What for?”

“Keeping your neffoo awake.”

“I didn’t expect him to sleep. You’re the most exciting thing that’s ever appeared in his life,” Daichi joked. He picked up a towel, wiping at some of the water that had slopped over the side. “Sorry you’re bored.”

“I’m not,” Suga said, and chewed his fingers. “I keep thinking about what happened. It’s hard to sleep.”

“Shirofuku-san says you’ll make a full recovery.” Daichi crouched on the floor, his face level with Suga’s.

“I know I will. Just … if Akinori hadn’t found me, then I don’t know what would have happened.”

“But he did…” Daichi replied. “Just like you found me. Except you _were_ being actively looked for.”

“Ah… yes, yes I suppose so,” he said not sounding quite so sure.

“Would you like to watch something on my phone?”

“What? Like the television!”

“Um, sort of. There are videos or shows you can watch. Or… you could listen to music, or a book. Just … uh … don’t drop it in the water.”

“That _would_ distract me,” Suga said, considering. “But … um … no, I guess you’re tired as well.”

“Not that tired.”

“Could we chat?” Suga asked. “You have a soothing voice, you know.”

“Dull and sends you to sleep.” Daichi chuckled.

“Oh no.” He looked aghast. “I find you fascinating, Daichi-san.”

Even in the dim half light of dawn, Suga’s stare was intense, and Daichi shifted back on his heels. “So … uh … what do you want to talk about?”

“Why do you like surfing?”

He’d been asked the question so many times before and he’d always answered the same way—the thrill of attempting to mastering the waves—but with Suga still staring at him, Daichi swallowed and took a breath before replying.

“There’s something about the scent of the ocean and the sound of the waves,” he murmured. “It feels … right. I feel as if I’m myself out there and with nothing to prove to anyone except myself.”

“And you were good at it. You won things, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did, but … this will sound stupid and falsely modest but it was never about titles or prizes. I entered because I found I could earn money by winning and to keep doing the thing I loved.” He quirked a smile, trying to lighten the tone. “I have to eat, you know, Suga!”

“Ah, money. You exchange money for things, right?  Saeko has told me about that.”

“What do you do if there’s something you want?”

“We forage for food,” Suga replied as he looked around the bathroom, at the bottles of shampoo, shower gel and shaving foam, the sponges and flannels, towels on the rail and the rug on the floor. “We don’t have … stuff … not like you do.”

“Do you live anywhere in particular or just … uh … swim?”

“We have areas we stay in, and then move to others. It depends on the food supply and the weather, I suppose. Some of us like to swim a lot, others are more content to hang around caves.” He gave a wink. “We’re a curious bunch, but some like me and Akaashi like exploring for ourselves, while some of the others devour everything second hand.” Giving a sigh, Suga finished. “I was always very happy accompanying Saeko-san to land… and watching Ryuu-chan grow has been an incredible experience.”

“He hasn’t finished yet,” Daichi joked.

“I know but, well, the special circumstances surrounding Saeko-neesan have gone now that she’s decided to stay full time, so …” Sniffing, he flipped his tail in a rather feeble manner, suggesting melancholy.

“You’re leaving!”

“We’re moving on. Food isn’t as plentiful and the ocean bed is …uh … cluttered.” He winced, the expression reminding Daichi exactly why they were together in his bathroom right now.

“Oh.” The room seemed darker, even though the sun was starting to rise turning the grey a murky kind of yellow. “You’ll be missed.”

“I will?”

The question in his tone caught Daichi aback. “’Course,” he said gruffly. “Saeko-san, Ryuunosuke, Konoha and Shirofuku, they’re all … and Ukai… Ukai will miss you… probably.”

“Yes … yes they will. And … um… Shouyou?”

“Yeah, I reckon he will even if he has only known you a short time and—” He lifted his head, focusing on the window. “You’ll come back, won’t you?  To visit, at least?”

“Hum, to visit maybe.” He rubbed at his eyes and then his face, grimacing.

“Is something wrong?”

“My face isn’t used to being this dry for so long,” Suga muttered. “I’d really like to submerge but I guess I shouldn’t.

“I could wet your hair,” Daichi suggested, and pointed to the shower attachment. “Spray your face a little.”

“Is that okay?”

“It’s what it’s supposed to be used for,” Daichi replied and smiled. “Shouyou is still a horror at keeping clean, and isn’t that keen on baths, so I end up washing his hair for him.”

“Ooooo!” Suga’s eyes sparkled. “He told me about shampoo and I smelt some earlier. Would you wash mine?”

“Sure. You’ll need to change ends.”

Suga wriggled one-eighty until his back was now at the tap end. Obediently tipping his head back, he gave Daichi a look and giggled. “Am I worth it?”

“Huh?” Daichi swallowed and felt his cheeks pink.

“I saw one of those advertisements things for a shampoo. People who wash their hair need to ask if they’re worth it.”

Chuckling Daichi picked up the shower spray and let it run through his fingers until it reached the temperature. “Tip your head back,” he said.

Suga assented, and Daichi wetted his hair, watching as the water ran in rivulets over his silver hair, streaming down his face and sparkling like raindrops. “You haven’t answered my question.”

Reaching for the shampoo, Daichi shook a dollop into his palm. It smelt of almonds and honey, for dry course hair, the bottle said, and not for silky-soft tresses.

“You’re worth it,” Daichi murmured and smoothed the shampoo through Suga’s hair. “Now,” he continued, “would Sir like a scalp massage.”

“A what?”

“Uh… it’s something hairdressers say,” Daichi replied and started to mould his hands around Suga’s head. “It’s supposed to be relaxing.”

“I see.” Suga relaxed, tipped his head right back and closed his eyes tight. “What else do they say?”

“Would Sir like conditioner?” Daichi offered. “I mean, they don’t bother with me because my hair’s always been short, but yours is longer and … not that it needs it.” He coughed. “It smells nice that’s all and makes hair less tangled, supposedly. _Nothing_ works on Kuroo’s hair.”

With the water rising, Daichi eased the plug out a little, laughing when Suga shrieked at the gurgle of the water, and the pressure when his hand accidentally moved to the plug hole. Then once the hair was rinsed though, he wound a towel around Suga’s hair and started to rub it dry.

“That was relaxing,” Suga said, sounding sleepy.

“I have a whole new career ahead as a hairdresser,” Daichi joked.

“Maybe you could do that in the winter,” Suga replied, sounding thoughtful. He nibbled the side of his thumb. “Um, if I were to come back and visit, would you and … uh … Shouyou, of course, still be here?”

“Yes,” Daichi muttered. “If the surf school business slacks off, then I’ll find other work. I … we both like it here. It feels right.”

It was getting lighter now, and Daichi could see Suga’s face clearly, the shadows under his eyes from lack of sleep, but there was a smile on his lips and his cheeks weren’t pale anymore but flushed with roses.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, L'Oreal, where would the world of TV advertising be without you. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	7. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi and Suga get to know each other a little better and Daichi has a lunch guest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I meant to update this last week and forgot. Here's Chapter 7.

Shouyou was yawning at breakfast and half-complaining that he felt ill and maybe wasn’t well enough for school, but he ate all his food and when there was a knock at the door announcing the arrival of Ukai and Tanaka, he perked up, running to greet them.

“Where’s Suga-san?” Tanaka demanded.

“Asleep,” Daichi replied, glancing at Ukai. “He’s fine. Antibiotics are being taken and he’s chatty.”

“He’s always that,” Ukai muttered with a wry grin. “C’mon Short-stuff, I’ll give you a lift to school.”

Tanaka dragged his feet, finally tugging on Daichi’s sleeve. “How was he hurt? Neesan didn’t say.”

“We think he swam into a discarded bicycle wheel,” Daichi said. “Shirofuku-san’s assured me he’ll be fine, you know, so don’t worry.”

“You got plans for today?” Ukai asked, lingering as he shepherded the boys to his car. “Only, if you’ve got stuff you need to do, then Saeko can come over.”

 “Paperwork this morning, but if I could get down to the shack this afternoon, I’d appreciate it.”

“Sure, I’ll let her know.”

And then they were off, Shouyou with a backward glance at the bathroom window, and Daichi closed his front door, yawning a little as he started to clear the breakfast dishes. He peeked through the bathroom door, but Suga was sound asleep, the towel still wound round his hair, so Daichi settled at the kitchen table, booted up his laptop and checked his fledgling website.

More enquiries had come through, potential customers wanting to check the details, or the age ranges, one or two asking if it really was him running the courses. He replied, hoping he didn’t sound snappish, but the surprise he’d retired still reverberated. As did the knowledge that several of his peers had voiced the opinion that he’d regret quitting, or—worse still—that he’d lost his nerve.

An email bouncing through caught his eye, the sender unfamiliar, but the company name known from his former life. _Surfer Monthly_ , had been his bible as a kid, one he’d read avidly and had held his breath when he’d first had a name check on their pages. In the intervening years, he’d been featured a few times as an up-and-coming surfer, one to watch, serious contender, and finally as champion, but why they were contacting him now, he had no idea.

_Sawamura-san,_ (the email began)

_We at Surfer Monthly would love to run a feature on you and your new business. We’re planning a series on former surfers and as you’ve just retired, we think you’d be an ideal candidate._

_If it is convenient for you, then please reply to this email and we shall arrange for our reporter, Suzumeda Kaori, to interview you at home._

_Regards_

_Surfer Monthly_

Now he thought about it, the name was familiar. Suzumeda wasn’t their top feature writer, but she’d asked him some questions when he’d announced his retirement, and although she’d probed a little deeper than he’d have liked, she’d backed off immediately when he’d mentioned his sister and Shouyou.  The resulting article had been sympathetic, detailing his achievements, and mourning his decision, but lightly. He owed her something for that, he guessed.

A splash sounded from the bathroom, and a plaintive ‘Daichiiiii’

But there was no way in hell she could visit while Suga was in situ.

“Coming,” he called.

“Hey.” Suga, his hair sticking out all ways, waved. “I’m afraid the towel around my head fell off.”

“I can tell,” Daichi laughed, seeing the towel soaking up the water around Suga’s hips (were they hips?). “Your hair’s much fluffier this morning. Are you hungry?”

He nodded, then wriggled so he was more upright, giving a sudden exclamation as he winced.

“I’ll get you some painkillers,” Daichi said. “Shirofuku-san will be over later to check that wound, but would you like to get out of there first, or is it less painful to stay where you are?”

“I’d like to get out. I need … to flex.”

Daichi bent down and unbidden, Suga raised his arms, hanging them about Daichi’s neck. His unruly hair, smelling of honey, tickled Daichi’s cheek, and Daichi wanted to smile, but seeing Suga biting his lip and swallowing down the gasp of pain, he gently but firmly lifted him out of the bath.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he muttered.

“Yes…” He took a breath; it hitched in his throat so he panted before inhaling slower and deeper. “Safe.”

“Hmm?”

“I feel safe,” Suga replied, smiling a little wanly. “Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it.” He hefted Suga a little higher so they were almost at eye-level and then swiftly carried him to the airbed in the lounge.

“Could you…” Suga faltered.

“What?”

“Could you take this jacket thing off me? It feels tight and constricting and it’s pressing on the wound and …” His eyes rolled and his face blanched. “Sorry…”

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Daichi replied and propping Suga up, one arm under his shoulders, he unzipped the wetsuit top from the back. He peeled it off, stretching it over Suga’s arms, before finally lowering him back on the lilo.

Despite the dressing, which had stayed in place and remained dry, the skin around it was red and inflamed. Shirofuku had warned of infection, and Daichi touched Suga’s forehead, checking for signs of a temperature. He wasn’t feverish, but there was still a disquiet about him, and he looked far less chipper than he had at four in the morning when chatting to Shouyou.

“Painkillers,” Daichi said. “And some breakfast. I’ll call Shirofuku-san now and see what she says.”

“Please don’t worry. I’ll be okay.”

But he was screwing up his eyes, and clenching his fists.

“Let me worry. You’re my guest and … I want you to get well again.”

“I’m a nuisance.”

At that Daichi half-laughed, startling Suga.  “What!”

“You’ve been here barely a day. You’re not a nuisance.”

 

Shirofuku’s phone went straight to voicemail, but he left a message as he popped two painkillers into a glass of water and watched them fizz. Then, after serving up a bowl of steamed rice, adding some pickles and quartering an apple, he placed everything on a tray and took it in to Suga.

“She’s not answered yet,” he explained. “But here’s breakfast. Let me know if this is okay, or if there’s something else you’d like. Ukai-san brought some fresh aosa.”

“This is good.” Suga started to sit up, but he gasped out in pain and sank back on the sofa.

“Hey, take it gently, and have this first,” Daichi said, and crouching by him, he held the glass of water to Suga’s lips.

He sipped, tipping his head a little and the silver hair flopped across his face. Resisting the urge to smooth it behind Suga’s ear, Daichi spoke soft encouraging words until he’d finished and then picked up the bowl of rice.

“Maybe you’ll feel better with some food as well?” he suggested. “I can help.”

For someone of whom Shirofuku had said he’d eat rice until he popped, Suga was birdlike with his breakfast, even with Daichi scooping the food in his mouth. Eating around half the bowl, he nibbled on some of the apple by himself, his face still pale and looking drawn.

“I don’t know why I feel bad again,” he moaned. “I felt fine much better in the night.”

“Maybe it’s all catching up on you,” Daichi replied. “This is hardly your normal environment so it must feel too much at times. Scary, even?”

He shook his head. “I don’t feel scared.” Reaching out, he took Daichi’s hand. “Thank you.”

But just as Daichi was about to squeeze back, to assure him (again) he wasn’t a nuisance and he’d get better, to persuade him to eat a little more, his phone rang.

“Hey, Sawamura. I got your message,” Shirofuku said. “How’s the … uh … patient?”

“In pain.”

“Worse than yesterday?”

“He’s had more painkillers, but he doesn’t want to eat much.”

“That’s unusual.” There was a pause, and then her tone changed becoming brighter. “Okay, so that’s cool and I’ll try to catch you later. Do lunch maybe?”

“Are you not alone?” Daichi deduced.

“That’s right!” she continued brightly. “And I’m right in the middle of something, but a girl has to eat, right? So, how about we meet up today?”

“Here?”

Another pause, and something that sounded like a door closing sounded through the phone. “Yes,” she murmured. “Sorry about that.  Look, how’s the wound looking? And how is Suga? Feverish? Flushed?”

Daichi knelt down by Suga again. “It’s not bleeding as far as I can tell. The skin around it looks a little pink. Um… he’s quite pale.”

“Coherent?”

“Talk to him yourself,” Daichi said, and handed the phone over to Suga.

“HI,” Suga said, still shouting but with a lot less force.

Then he quietened down. “Oh, okay. You can hear me like this?”

…

“Ah, sure. Um … yes … it’s aching a lot and it’s like a stabby pain when I move.”

…

“Not hot. More cold. Shivery.”

…

“Okay, he’s here. Bye!” Suga finished and handed the phone back to Daichi.

“I think he’ll be okay now. Realisation setting in what’s happened and he’s having to adapt to a different environment,” Shirofuku told him. “I don’t think there’s any infection. Look, if he gets any worse or you’re worried, then call me immediately, but I really am up to my eyes, so if I could come over at lunch time instead …”

“Yeah, sure. I’ll make some food.”

“Ah, Sawamura, you’re a man after my own heart, but please don’t bother,” she laughed, then sighing, she added, “I have to go now. See you later.”

“Yup, see you—” He blinked at the phone, then sighed at Suga. “She’s gone, but she’ll come over for lunch.”

 

They spent the morning with Suga dozing on the sofa, and Daichi tapping away at his laptop. In his wakeful moments, Suga chattered, but not in an intrusive way. He was silent if he could see Daichi was engrossed in something and even half raised his hand as if he were a kid in school asking a question.

“Any better?” Daichi asked, as it came up to noon.

“A little.”

“Do you want the television on? It won’t disturb me.”

“Um, no.” Suga was fiddling with his hair. “What time is Shirofuku-san coming over?”

“Uh, soon, I think. I have to go out this afternoon, so Saeko said she’d come over and keep you company.”

“Just Saeko?”

“Not sure. Why?”

“Just … um …” He flapped his hand. “Tired that’s all.”

“Company is exhausting,” Daichi agreed. “When I was laid up in the hospital, I only wanted to see Shouyou. I could call her but … uh … I really don’t want you left alone.”

“No, Saeko’s fine,” Suga said, huffing out a breath (a breath that sent his fronds of hair skywards). “Where are you going this afternoon?”

“See Kuroo and Bokuto. They’re decorating the shack for me. Need to check they’ve not covered it in owls and pussycats.”

“Huh?”

“It’s a poem. The Owl and the Pussycat – I used to call them that a long time ago, ‘cause the first time I met them they were sailing around in a canoe and arguing.”

“You’ve known them a long time.”

“Since I was fifteen,” he agreed. “We met at a water sports club one summer. They already knew each other and were pretty much inseparable, but they never left me out.” Chuckling, he thought back to those days, to Kuroo and Bokuto’s frequent spats which had sent several of the club members towards other activities. But not Daichi, who’d watched—amused—from the sidelines before joining them in a lesson about ropes and boat mooring. “I was grouped with them because I was supposedly a calming influence.”

“Were you?”

“I was never caught.” He laughed. “For some reason, people thought I was highly responsible at that age. How about you?”

“Me? Oh… ha … I’m … um ... It depends who you ask. I know Keiji’s angry with me.”

“More worried, I think,” Daichi put in remembering the merman’s face. “What were you like at fifteen?”

“Years … uh … that’s fifteen lots of twelve moons, right?”

“Oh… yes.” A moon must be a month.  He squinted. “So it’s one hundred and … eighty moons.”

He grinned. “I was forever getting into trouble. Usually for dreaming. I liked exploring by myself. Still do, I suppose.”

“Staring at the stars at night,” Daichi remembered.

“Mmm, not so often now. I have to be responsible, too. Some of our group are younger, so I need to be _better_ example.” His mouth drooped.

“I know about that,” replied Daichi, and getting up from the table, he sat on the floor leaning against the sofa. “Looking after Shouyou meant I had to properly grow up.”

“You love him though?”

“Yes, of course and I wouldn’t change anything except … except …” he swallowed. “The reason I have to look after him.”

“Your sister?”

Daichi felt fingers in his hair, soft hands smoothing across his scalp, soothing and comforting. And it reminded him, in a way, of when he’d been only a little older than Shouyou’s when all he’d had was Mayumi.

“Our parents had died, and she looked after me,” he said at last, a tear pricking his eye. “So looking after her son is the absolute least I can do.” Then he sniffed, and tilted his head back as Suga rubbed his fingertips against his temples. “He’s a great kid and deserves the best, so it’s not chore— more like a privilege, but he misses his mum.”

The fingertips slowed their circles, and then Suga shifted away. “We don’t really have family the way you do,” he said at last. “I’m not sure I could tell you much about my parents. We’re together as a group and look after each other, but the group often fluctuates.  Saeko really is the exception, not only because her father was human, but because her mother stayed with her and so some of us stayed together and made stronger connections.” Daichi could hear the smile in his voice as he continued to reminisce, now telling him how beautiful Saeko’s mother had been and how the normal taboo of meeting and falling for a human had seemed nothing to her.

“Swam against the tide,” he muttered. “It near broke her when she had to hand Ryuu over. But he couldn’t have stayed with us. No one knew if he’d even survive. Such a tiny baby. All skin and his _legs_ – they looked so puny!”

“Not now.”

Suga laughed. “No not now. He’s thriving and strong and loud. I love hearing him yell, you know?”

“I’m teaching him to surf,” Daichi said. “I think he could be really good. He’s pretty much fearless with the waves. I guess he has an affinity, but he still tackles everything head on.”

They sat in contemplation for a while, Suga’s fingers not returning to Daichi’s hair as they mused on their respective opinions of Tanaka, and just as Daichi was about to stretch and suggest tea, or whatever Suga liked to drink, there was a loud rat-a-tat at the front door.

“Hello!” Daichi called out, a little warily.

“It’s me, Sawamura,” Shirofuku replied.

“Gah, I forgot,” he whispered to Suga. “I haven’t made anything for lunch.”

But Shirofuku entered the house with boxes of takeout and a half apology that she hoped she wasn’t taking a liberty. “I can reheat this if you’ve made something,” she explained. “But I figured you might be busy with the patient.” He face softened when she saw Suga. “Hey you, how are you feeling now?”

“Uhm, not too bad,” he said.

Slightly reassured, Shirofuku nonetheless changed the dressing, took his temperature and then ran her hand over his tailfin. “You should go back in the water for a while,” she said.

“Ughh, it’s boring. I’m happier here.”

“I’ll carry you up there and bring you some food?” Daichi suggested.

“I’m not that hungry,” Suga said, sounding cross.

“You need to keep your strength up,” Shirofuku replied and frowned at him. “Suga, why are you being difficult about this?”

“I’m not!”

“You absolutely are. You have a face on you like Nishinoya’s when he got caught in that net and cut his fin. More annoyed at being told he had to stay with me than worried he was hurt.”

“He missed us, that’s all!”

“I know that, but you refusing to go and sit in the bath is just as ridiculous because it’s also for your own good.”

“Tell you what,” Daichi put in. “I’ll run you a bath, you can sit in that for an hour, and then when Saeko arrives, I’ll bring you back down.”

“Saeko’s coming over.” Shirofuku forgot her irritation. “I have not seen her for ages. Akinori _told_ me she’d moved in with Ukai. I wonder how she’s coping.”

“She’ll be fine,” Suga mumbled, then he whipped his attention back to Daichi and sighed. “I suppose I should go back in the bath.”

“I could get you a radio or something to stop you getting bored.”

Rolling her eyes, Shirofuku removed a plastic bag from her backpack, and handed it to Daichi. “My Ipad in a waterproof container. Suga, you can watch whatever you want on that, okay?”

“Oooh…” His eyes lighting up, it was as if Suga had forgotten why he was mad, giving both her and Daichi the benefit of his beaming smile and agreeing to return to the bathroom.

“He’ll be so addicted to Korean Drama’s we’ll never get him to return to the sea,” Shirofuku said when Daichi returned. She’d found some bowls and had begun to unpack the food. “Sorry, I’m ravenous and don’t have that long, so I started.”

“It’s your food.”

“No, no,” she pushed a bowl towards him. “Please join me. I bought enough for two, or even three if Suga wants anything.” She scooped some noodles into her mouth. “It’s nice to sit at a proper table and not be at my desk eating as I work, so I hope you don’t mind me crashing in.”

“I appreciate you coming over.”

“Well, I appreciate some conversation that isn’t about work,” she replied and then gave him a smile. “And it’s not every day I get to meet one of my idols. Wow, what the girls in my uni dorm would think of this, I can _not_ imagine without blushing.”

He spluttered on some chicken, hoping she’d mistake the flush on his cheeks for his near-choking rather than embarrassment. But then she laughed.

“Don’t worry, Sawamura. I really did come over to check on Suga. There’s no ulterior motive.”

 


	8. The Great Outdoors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga shook his head, explaining that Saeko had fetched him everything needed. “I feel a lot better,” he muttered. “But I suppose I have to go back in the bath,” Suga sighed.  
> “Uhm, well, if you want to,” Daichi replied, “but I might have found an alternative. Give me half an hour, okay?”  
> “That’s ages … isn’t it?”  
> “About as half as long as an episode of those dramas you like watching,” Daichi teased. “Yell if you need anything.”

Bokuto and Kuroo were unpacking boxes in their shop when he arrived. He offered to help, but both of them waved him away so he stepped next door to the shack, opening up to check on the progress.

They’d not decorated with owls or pussycats but instead applied a pale blue wash  on the inside and fixed a pinboard to the space across from the desk.  And propped against one of the walls was a surfboard … his surfboard, the one he’d won the championship on, the one he’d been riding the day he crashed into the rocks. The one that had smashed.

Bokuto had made it whole again. Perhaps it would never be quite as smooth as it had before, but the thought that he had it back brought a lump to his throat and a strong wave of gratitude towards his friends. Tracing the underside with his finger, he found a filled-in crack where it had broken, followed it all the way across, a jagged line, and shuddered at how close he’d come to death.

“So, all set to go, right?” Kuroo stood in the doorway, a smile quirking his lips.

“First bookings in two weeks time,” Daichi replied. “Got some unofficial lessons before then for Shouyou and Tanaka-kun.”

“All from tourists?”

“Local kids, too. Shou-chan’s been spreading the word.”

“I bet.” He levered himself off the doorframe, rather like he was slowly unsticking himself. “Want a coffee?”

“Sure.” Tucking his laptop under his arm, Daichi locked up and joined Kuroo and Bokuto in the back of their store. New summer stock had arrived, and they’d been unpacking buckets and spades, sand moulds in the shapes of sea creatures and –to Daichi’s amusement—one of a smiley mermaid with hair down to her waist and a shell shaped bikini.

“What’s over there?” he asked, pointing to a heap of things spilling out of a box.

“Stuff we’re throwing out. Stock from last year that never sold and is either broken or a bit … uh shop-soiled. Inflatables that burst or were on display.” He rolled his eyes. “’Tarou had the bright idea of writing the price on some of them, but used an indelible pen.”

“Hey! You handed me the pen!”

Daichi got up and mooched over to the box, pulling something out. “Is this … uh … usable?”

“Yeah it’s fine. After a while we used it to store beach balls in, but nets are better for that.”

“Could I have it then?” he asked, fishing into his back pocket for his wallet.

“Short-stuff’s a bit old for that, isn’t he? Especially as he’s got the sea on his doorstep.”

“Uh, might be useful for class,” he muttered, and opened his wallet. “How much?”

“Nah, take it,” Kuroo said. “How’s the website?”

“There’s a glitch on the About page,” Daichi said. “Can’t work out what it is, but not all the photos are showing up.”

“Haaaaand it over,” Bokuto instructed and wiggled his fingers. “Let Bokuto-sensei have a look.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Nah, course not,” Kuroo replied for him. “We can check your electrics while computer-geek sorts it out.”

“What have I done to deserve such friends?” Daichi wondered out loud.

“It’s not you,” Bokuto replied, his voice a little thick. “It’s the kid.”

Kuroo draped his arm across Daichi’s shoulders. “Aaand, we want the goss on that guy you met.”

“Oh, and don’t forget that chick,” Bokuto piped in.

“Who?”

“Saw her driving to your place at lunch. Not Short-stuff’s teacher or anything?”

“Wh—Oh… Shirofuku-san?”

“I dunno, she was carrying take-out. Quite a lot of it.”

“She’s Konoha’s friend. Marine biologist. She—we met a few days ago.”

“She’s cute.”

 “We’re … friends.”

Sort of.

“And yet you have lunch dates,” Kuroo smirked.

“Don’t worry ‘bout it,” Bokuto said and waggled his eyebrows. “Tetsurou’s just jealous ‘cuz you’ve got other friends.”

“One lunch,” Daichi replied firmly, adding, “She saw me surf once or twice so was interested.”

“Ah, spot of hero worship, eh?”

“And I wanted to pick her brains about the marine creatures around here,” he continued, his voice a little louder.

Well, that was true enough.

“Marine creatures, eh?”

“Yes.” He finished his coffee and stood up, preparing to leave for the shack and cut the conversation off, but then a stray thought drifted into his mind. “Do you ever wonder about the impact we make on the coast and the sea?”

“Pollution and such like?” Kuroo asked. “Well, sure.”

“I… I don’t want to make it worse,” Daichi muttered. “If the surf school does well and brings people to the bay then the pollution will increase. We dump too much already.”

Kuroo shrugged, but to Daichi it wasn’t as if he wasn’t bothered, but more that he couldn’t think of a solution.

“People will come anyway.” Bokuto looked up. “This place is crawling with tourists over the summer. We just need to stop them from being so inconsiderate, I guess.” He scowled at the laptop, clicking on the mouse. “Ah… okay. I need to run a diagnostic. Be ready in an hour or so.”

“Then, let’s get to Sawamura’s electrics and I’ll dig out more gossip.”

Yet, apart from a few sly digs, the subject of Shirofuku wasn’t brought up again, and neither was Suga.  They rewired the shack, testing the fuses before screwing in bulbs, Kuroo flicking the switches with the aplomb of a magician’s assistant.

“Think you’ll be able to settle down?” Kuroo asked when they were done.

“Have you?” countered Daichi.

“We still plan to compete,” Kuroo replied. “But it’s the cost, you know. Boat’s a little more expensive than a board. But …uh … it’s more us doing normal stuff together, building a future.” He paused and pressed his lips together. “Which I guess is what you need to do for Shouyou, but you’ll miss the circuit, won’t you? It was pretty exciting.”

“Surfing was exciting,” Daichi said with a smile, and reached across to where his board was propped against the wall.  “Still is. I’ve not given up everything, you know.”

“Wanna go out again?” Kuroo asked. “Now?”

And he was tempted, very tempted to grab his board and dash straight out to the waves, but now was not the time, not with work to finish, and a merman in his bath that he really should be looking after and not leaving everything to Saeko.

“Another time,” he said, trying to keep the wistful note out of his voice.

“’K…” Kuroo mooched to the door, trying the lights again and grinning. “How about we come over tonight instead, bring some beers?”

“Yeech!” Hell, where did that come from?

“What?!”

“Uh…No.”

“That’s decisive. Don’t tell me you _have_ got a date.”

He gave a wink, hoping he looked mysterious, but Kuroo wasn’t fooled and rolled his eyes. “School night for Shouyou,” Daichi amended. “I should try and set some sort of example.”

“Oh My Gaahhd,” drawled Kuroo. “You really are growing up.”

“Another—”

“Time, yep, I get it.” He wasn’t annoyed but faintly mocking, then Kuroo flapped his hand. “This weekend, how about we take the boat out? With Shorty, of course. Proper sailing, not that old fishing boat of Ukai’s.”

Part of him leapt at the chance, especially knowing how much Shouyou would love it. But also for him, the chance to be crewing with the pair of them, teaching his nephew as they explored the seas. His best memories growing up had been around water, lakes, rivers, then the sea, and he’d love Shouyou to have that same sort of happiness.

Three days time. Four if they made it Sunday. It would depend if Suga was still there.

If Suga was still with him.

It surprised him how much the knowledge Suga would soon be gone upset his equilibrium.

“Or if you do have a hot date, then maybe we c’n take him out alone.”

“Really?”

“Sure! It’s about time we got to know each other properly. Who’s he gonna talk to when he wants to let off steam and you’re being all responsible? Or don’t you trust us?” He touched his hand to his chest, looking hurt.

Fake hurt, because even as one corner of his mouth drooped, the other twitched upwards.

“With my life and that of Bokuto’s first born!” Daichi declared, and taking Kuroo’s hand, he clutched it in his before both began to laugh. “Thanks, I’m sure Shouyou’d love to.”

Clicking off the lights once more. Daichi locked the door and they meandered back to the beach store. The sea was rippling up to the shore, a mid-tide creeping inland, but there was precious little wind and the ocean’s surface was merely ruffled rather than the tempestuous waves he preferred to ride.

Bokuto was reading a magazine when he got back, his eyes round with excitement and hailed Daichi with a loud whoop. “Hey, site’s fixed. You should have no more issues. And—” He waved his magazine in the air …  “—that journalist got back in touch to say she’s coming this way at the end of the week so wants to come and see you then.”

“Uh … what?”

“Journalist!” He unfurled the magazine, revealing its title. “Suzu…meda or somethin’. She writes for them. Pretty cool, right, Tetsurou. Our boy’s gonna be famous!”

“Again,” Kuroo joked, and slapped Daichi on the back. “That is pretty cool.”

“But I can’t!  Not this weekend.”

“Sure you can. I already told you we’d take care of Hinata.”

“But what if she wants to come to the house?”

Kuroo snorted. “Uh, then you’ll have to tidy up. Take her to the shack, if you’re that worried. Or Konoha’s bar. That’d be great ‘cuz then he can get a plug too and’ll give you free beers, and while you’re there, you can look out over the beach and point out the store belonging to your two best pals.”

Bokuto sucked on his lip. “Besides, I sorta replied on your behalf.”

“WHAT!!”

“She needed an answer!” he explained, holding his hands up as if in supplication. “And … like this is great, right? Publicity for you and for the bay.”

“B-but…” He was right. It would certainly help launch him, and although bookings were healthy enough, he needed more if he wanted to sustain through the winter. “P-pollution!”

“Uh …” Bokuto nibbled a finger nail, while Kuroo leant back against the wall, still smirking.

“You can turn this piece into a cause,” he said at last. “Plug the businesses but tell this journo how ethical we want to be. Get that Marine Biologist ‘friend’ of yours to drop by. Besides, it’ll look dodgy if you back out now.”

“I never backed in!” Daichi protested. “I hadn’t answered.”

But it was too late now. Kuroo was right; it would look fishy (in more ways than one) if he emailed back and cancelled. And they could be right. Turn the interview into something that would benefit not just his business but the area as a whole and the environmental impact. Gathering up his laptop and his find from the trash they were going to dispose of, he hotfooted it back home.

He heard voices from the lounge when he got back. Saeko had stayed around, so he was about to call out an apology as he slipped off his shoes, when her words drifted towards him.

“But so are you, Koushi-chan.”

“Don’t call me that!”

“Sorry, Suga sweetie-pie,” she laughed, and then Daichi heard her sigh. “Your happiness is very important to me, you know that, but maybe it’s a good thing you’ll be going back soon.”

It was awkward eavesdropping, rude even if inadvertent, so Daichi opened and closed the door again, this time loudly, immediately calling out his hellos.

Suga wouldn’t quite look him in the eye when he walked in, and his cheeks were a little pinker than normal. Saeko perused him, giving a slow blink and then a smile.

“Thank you for staying. I hope it didn’t put you out,” he said.

“Not at all. Keishin’s working, Ryuu’s at school, and Akinori doesn’t need me ‘til this evening.”

“Saeko has a job,” Suga chirped. “She’s going to be a … a … What is it, again?”

“I’m waiting tables and helping in the kitchen. He’s teaching me how to cook. It’s fun, you know,” she replied and leant forward to clasp Suga’s hand. “But I really should get going now, Suga-chan.” To Daichi it looked like she mouthed ‘Cheer up’, but he had no idea why.

“How are you?” he asked when Saeko had gone. “Do you need more pain relief?”

Suga shook his head, explaining that Saeko had fetched him everything needed. “I feel a lot better,” he muttered. “But I suppose I have to go back in the bath,” Suga sighed.

“Uhm, well, if you want to,” Daichi replied, “but I might have found an alternative. Give me half an hour, okay?”

“That’s ages … isn’t it?”

“About as half as long as an episode of those dramas you like watching,” Daichi teased. “Yell if you need anything.”

There was a shed in the garden, and when they’d moved in, Daichi had noticed some windbreaks left by the landlady, so hoisting them out, he set about erecting them in the garden.  Soon he had an enclave, a discreet area hidden from the prying eyes of any neighbours, and then he fetched the purchase from the Beach Store and began to lay it out. He wasn’t even halfway through when two figures burst into the garden.

“HEY!” Shouyou asked as he peeked through the windbreak. “What are you doing? Suga-san didn’t know.”

Grateful for the interruption, Daichi waved to Shouyou and Tanaka, and gestured for them to come in. “It’s a surprise for Suga, so he doesn’t have to sit inside all the time. Only …” He huffed out what remained of his breath. “It’s taking me longer than I thought. Good day at school, Shouyou?”

“Uh… fine, yeah—We can help!”

“You’ll be out of puff too soon.”

Tanaka shrugged. “I won’t. I c’n hold mine for a real long time underwater.”

“Okay, then. How about you two take over for a while, and I’ll fetch some milk and cookies. Shouyou, there are some deckchairs in the shed, so can you get put them out. Then you can tell me about school.”

“Boring!” Shouyou replied, then wrinkled his nose. “Does this mean we can camp out tonight?”

“No, because we don’t have a tent and you have school tomorrow, but maybe we can roast some marshmallows and have a barbecue later. You can stay if you like, Tanaka-kun.”

“Ah, cool!”

Tanaka hadn’t exaggerated his lung capacity, and by the time Daichi came back with snacks (after a quick check up on Suga who asked, rather peevishly, what was going on and was not at all happy when Daichi tapped his nose and winked) the job was done. Now all that was left was hooking up the garden hose and bringing Suga out into the garden during daylight.

“Where are you taking me?” Suga asked, compliant rather than complaining. “Ohhh, do you have a lake outside?”

“Ha, no. We have a small garden,” Daichi replied. He yanked a large beach towel and wound it around Suga’s tail. “Now, I don’t think any of the neighbours are around, but I need to cover you up and then we’ll make a dash for it.”

Suga wriggled in his arms. “This sounds very exciting!” Then his fingers dug into Daichi’s shoulders. “Hey, you’re not taking me back already, are you?”

“Huh?”

His face was level with Daichi’s, his eyes unflinching, and a downward droop to his lips (pale pink lips, Daichi noticed inconsequentially, and the top one protruded just a little over the bottom one).

“Has Shirofuku said I’m ready to go back?”

“Uh… no, not to me.  I … uh … Sorry, you must miss it, but I think you’re going to be here a few days longer.”

His fingers stopped biting into Daichi, and although he didn’t say anything, Suga settled in Daichi’s arms, and tucked his head into Daichi’s chest as Daichi broke into a run across his lawn and to the windbreakers.

“Ta-da!”           

His purchase, still with Bokuto’s indelible price written on the side with the blue waves, had been inflated. Hinata stood on one side, holding a full-flowing hose over the side looking much wetter than he had when Daichi had left. Tanaka, too was soaked through to his skin, his school shirt clinging tight to his chest.  They’d clearly had fun, so that was one thing, but their enthusiasm couldn’t take away from the fact that it was a small blow up pool with even sillier pictures than his bathroom tiles.

“What is this?” Suga whispered as they bustled though.

“It’s … uh …” A dumb idea, Daichi could tell that by the way Suga stopped smiling. A poor attempt at cheering him up. “Sorry, it’s la—”

 “It’s a paddling pool!” Shouyou butted in, beaming. “Tanaka-san blew it up, and I got the hose out. And … uh … Daichi-san … um … It was his idea.”

“OH … Can I go in it now?”

“You want to!”

“Of course.  Um… wasn’t that the point?”

 “Well, yeah,” Daichi said, and lowered him into the pool.  “I thought you might prefer being outside rather than stuck in my boring bathroom.”

“It’s … it’s not boring,” Suga said sniffling. “Everything’s wonderful. You’re all wonderful but this is …” He tipped his head back and splashed with his tail sending a spray of water through the air, arcing like a rainbow. “I can see the sky!  I know it’s only been two days, but it’s so lovely to be back outside.”

He genuinely perked up, his laughter trilling through the air, and became far more like the merman Daichi had met on the rock that day, eyes twinkling like the sun on the waves. Keeping up a constant stream of chatter with Shouyou and Tanaka, it was hard for Daichi to get a word in, but he sat back in a deckchair and watched with increasing pleasure as they all slurped soba noodles and shrimp.  And when the sun began to dip and the sky became magnificent with orange and pink and golden yellow, they set a small campfire going to toast marshmallows.

Suga was fascinated, watching the flickering flames with wide, and at first, apprehensive eyes.

“Oh, I can’t wait to tell the others about this,” he said, his voice a little breathy. “Yuu would be so excited to be here.”

“How is Noya?” Tanaka asked. He munched on another marshmallow, wiping his mouth with his hand when the gooey centre spilt over his lips. “I ain’t seen him for _a_ -ges.”

“He’s well.  Keeping out of trouble after the last time,” Suga replied. “Well, I hope so. Oh, he probably is. Akaashi’s around.”

“Who’s Noya?” Hinata asked.

“Real cool merboy,” Tanaka breathed. “Like, he’s so tough. Got caught in a fisherman’s net and kinda tore himself free with his teeth and hands.”

“Is that who Shirofuku was talking about? Nishinoya?”

Suga turned to Daichi at his question. “Yes, she was very good with him,” he replied, sounding a little flat, his eyes darting from side to side before he continued with a sigh. “We owe her and Akinori a lot, we really do.”

Shouyou broke the silence; his eyes round with awe. “Can I meet Ni-Nishiya?”

“Nishinoya,” Suga corrected, but with an indulgent smile.  “One day. I’m sure he’d love to meet you, too.”

“He’ll be around when you go back, prolly,” Tanaka said.

Suga didn’t reply immediately, and didn’t nod either, stretching out for another marshmallow from Daichi’s bowl before agreeing. “Yes, probably.”

And that appeared to satisfy Tanaka who returned to poking the fire, but Suga was staring at his fingers and his tail fin stopped flipping in the water.  His silence wasn’t picked up by the boys, who continued to chatter and eat, but to Daichi it was like a flame had extinguished. Suga had gone in on himself, his light dimmed.

“Shouyou, would you and Tanaka-kun take the plates in?” Daichi murmured, waiting until they’d left before asking, “Are you okay? Do you need anything?”

“Odd mixture of missing the others and not wanting to leave yet,” Suga replied and winced. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I’m tired, that’s all, and you can’t want to listen to me moan when I’m inconveniencing you like this.”

“Yeah, such an inconvenience, looking after the person who saved my life,” Daichi retorted, a harsher than he’d meant note threading between them. “Seriously, Suga, you’re not an inconvenience or a nuisance and you’re not putting me out in the slightest. Shouyou loves having you here, and I … it’s not only the very least I can do, but being a part of … this … your recuperation has led me to connect with other people here in a way that I feel a part of the community.”

“Ah… Shirofuku. Yes, she’s pretty.” Suga sniffed, then smiled, although his mouth looked a little tight. “I’m glad, as she is genuinely nice and clever and—”

“Not just her! Ukai and Saeko. Shouyou making friends with Tanaka. Konoha, too.  And … you, Suga! I’ve met you, and that’s so important. You not only saved my life, but you’ve changed it too and—” He gulped down the rest of the words, a jumbled mass of incoherent nothings, and then stumbled out of the deckchair and to his feet, staring up at the sky.

He took a breath, calming himself before finishing, “I don’t know why you were there that day, but I can only thank you from the depths of my soul.”

“Oh … um …” A splash could be heard, and then Daichi felt a tug on his trouser leg. “I … uh … was watching you. That’s why I was there. I’d been watching you for days. I’d never seen a human so at ease on the waves. It was … um … fascinating. You’re fascinating.”

He turned. Suga was gazing up at him, a little abashed with his lashes fluttering, but not looking away.  And in the early evening light, all Daichi could see was Suga’s tremulous lips, and his pearlescent skin. He crouched by the pool, meaning to reach out, to take a chance, to see if the attraction he’d felt since first spying Suga was mutual.

“Suga, I—”

“Hey, guys! We’ve come to pick up Ryuu-chan!” Saeko steamed through the windbreaks. “Whoa, cool set up, Suga-chan. You can stare at the stars all night! Aw, Keish, you have to do this for me. It’s so romantic! We could dance!”

 


	9. Making Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What are you so lost in thought about?” Kuroo asked, wandering across the sand with two mugs of coffee in his hand. “Wow.” He peered closer. “You’re looking gloomy.”
> 
> “Wondering about taking a chance on something,” he muttered, then sipped the coffee, hoping the steam would cover his flushing face.
> 
> “You already have,” Kuroo replied, “if you mean the business.” His eyes narrowed. “You don’t though, do you? Is this personal, Sawamura?”
> 
> “I’ve met someone,” Daichi admitted. “I don’t know if they’re interested.”
> 
> “The marine biologist or the mysterious Suga?”
> 
> He ignored him. “If I do nothing, then I’ve lost nothing, but if I make a move and it’s wrong, then I’ve lost a lot.”
> 
> Kuroo drank his coffee, saying nothing for a while but staring at the same fixed point on the horizon. “But if you do nothing,” he murmured at last, “then you’ll never know. Regrets are inevitable, but what would you regret most? Not knowing, or not trying?”

“You look shattered,” Shirofuku warned the next morning. She’d appeared at six-thirty, apologising for the early call when she saw Daichi’s face. “Sorry, I’m out all day so I need to check on the patient early. Has he been restless? Is that why you look like you’ve had no sleep?”

“No, he’s fine. He… I think he slept well. We…” He trailed off, then took a breath and explained about the evening before. How it had appeared to do Suga some good being outside, and when Shirofuku didn’t shake her head or scowl, he continued adding that Saeko had appeared with Ukai, and then the whole thing had become more of a party.

“Ah, you have a social life,” she laughed. “I’ll stop with the sympathy and gnash my teeth in jealous rage instead.”

He hummed noncommittally, not telling the truth that Saeko and Ukai had left around nine, dragging a reluctant Tanaka with them, and his lack of sleep was due to his own restlessness and not Suga’s.

He’d nearly kissed him.

He’d wanted to and he would have done if Saeko hadn’t appeared at that moment causing the charged atmosphere to disintegrate before his eyes. What the heck was this? Yes. There was an attraction, but they were from two different worlds and Suga, homesick for the ocean, would be leaving soon, and maybe leaving for good.  And Daichi wasn’t footloose anymore. These weren’t the days when he could have a cheery fling and pay no heed to the consequences. Now he had to be responsible for not only was he setting up a new business, but he had the far more important task of raising Shouyou.

No he’d be sensible and ignore whatever his thumping heart had been beating into him.

“Sawamura?”

“Huh?”

“So can I see Suga? I really should check his dressing.”

“Yes, sure. He’s back in the bathroom.”

He tapped on the door, and hearing a rather plaintive yes, Daichi creaked open the door.

“Shirofuku’s here to see you,” he muttered, not quite meeting Suga’s eyes.

“Ah, right.”  He struggled with a smile as he levered himself up. The movement caused Suga’s hair to catch the morning sun, glinting as if he were wearing a coronet.

She examined him quickly, checking the wound and the surrounding area. “This has healed well. Keep taking the antibiotics, but I think you’ll be ready to return soon.”

“When?”

Daichi blinked, realising both he and Suga had spoken at the same time.

“Saturday or Sunday?” she replied, a faint question in her voice as she glanced up at Suga. “But I wouldn’t want you to delay much beyond that.”

“Would that be a problem?” Daichi asked.

The weekend!

“N-no.”

Shirofuku frowned at Suga. “As he knows very well, too much time out of his natural environment could have a detrimental effect of Suga’s condition.”

“Saeko never had much trouble adjusting,” Suga grumbled.

“Because she’s half human and she’s never been injured like this!” With a tap on the arm, and a ruffle of his hair, Shirofuku continued. “Stop pouting. You know I’m right. The sooner you’re back in the ocean, the less likely it is you’ll lose any strength which you’re going to need for migrating, aren’t you?” Standing up, she tutted before turning on her heel and squeezied past Daichi standing at the bathroom door. “I have to go now, but I could come back tonight if there are any problems, Sawamura.”

Letting her out of the house, Daichi wandered back to the kitchen, putting the kettle on. A door creaked upstairs and a pattering of running feet could be heard, then a giggle and a light laugh as Shouyou darted into the bathroom to see Suga.

_He’ll miss him,_ Daichi thought and sighed. _And so will I._

“Hey,” he called out. “Who’s ready for breakfast?”

“Pancakes?” Shouyou asked.

“If you want.” He reached for the flour and eggs. “Suga, I hope you have a good appetite this morning because my stack of pancakes is something to behold.”

“Any marshmallows?” Suga asked.

“No you ate them all!”

“That was Shou-chan,” Suga replied, trying but failing to sound outraged and slipping into laughter, clearly elated at the thought of going home.

The three of them had breakfast in the lounge, Suga commandeering the lilo atop the couch, but instead of lying down, he sat, letting his tail drop to the floor, the fin at the end waggling like feet.

“You’re looking better this morning,” observed Daichi.

“Must be the fresh air,” Suga said, and gave a little wink before treating Daichi to a wide-eyed gaze. “And the company, of course.”

At that moment, Shouyou reached for another pancake, rattling the maple syrup pot as his sleeve brushed it, and Daichi jolted back, reflexes kicking in to catch the pot before it spilled over.

“Careful,” he chided, but gently because the words wouldn’t quite form properly.

With a hurried apology, Shouyou continued to chatter and eat, his voice light and cheerful, asking Suga a multitude of questions about the sea and the coves along the coastline.

“Kuroo-san and Bokuto-san said they’d take me on the boat at the weekend,” he said, beaming. “It’s going to be so much fun.”

“It will be, especially seeing it for the first time,” Suga said, and started to describe a series of caves he thought Shouyou should visit. And he was smiling all the time, voice a little wistful as he told him of a more secret place where the rocks looked pink and silver, but when Shouyou had scampered to his room to get ready, Suga turned once more to Daichi.

“Why aren’t you going with him?  Is it because I’m here?” he demanded.

“Uh… partly.”

“Only, I’d be all right and it’s clear he loves spending time with you, so I shouldn’t be taking you away from that.”

“It’s not just you,” Daichi replied. “It’s good for Shouyou to have other adults in his life and, well, I’ve got a visitor this weekend, and she—”

“A visitor? Oh… Yukie?”

“Uh… no, it’s a journalist—that’s someone who writes for a newspaper or a magazine.” He saw a fleeting look of panic on Suga’s face and leapt in. “Don’t worry, she’s not coming here. I’ll meet her at Konoha’s bar. Quick interview and then I’ll come back.” He gave a grin. “To be honest, I don’t want Kuroo and Bokuto hanging around when she’s here because there’s no end of embarrassing stories they could tell her!”

But Suga wasn’t listening. His mouth had drooped and he pushed the remaining half of a pancake around his plate. “I’m making things difficult being here, aren’t I? Would it be better if I left Saturday morning?”

“What? No … _no_ ,” Daichi assured him. “It’s not a problem at all. Suga, I … it’s great having you here. It’s honestly the least I can do under the circumstances, but it’s not just about how we met, and you saving me. Shouyou adores you and …” Suga looked up, his eyes sparkling, and Daichi’s throat dried. He managed to rasp out the next words. “I’m going to miss you.”

A car horn sounded outside, and before Daichi had called out that Ukai was here to give him a lift to school, Shouyou had thundered down the stairs, snatching up his bag and a last pancake before waving goodbye to the pair of them

“He’s like a fast current, the riptide,” Suga said and stared at Daichi. “I’ll miss him, too, you know. And you, but … Yukie is right and Saeko’s right, I have to go back. I can’t grow legs like Saeko did and you need your life back too, Daichi.” He paused as he ran his finger along his plate. Picking up the last bit of maple syrup and sucking into his mouth, smacking his lips together in satisfaction. “So, as I only have two or three days left, I’d like to make the most of it.”

“Korean dramas,” Daichi guessed, reaching for the remote.

 “Um, no, not now. I’d like to pack a few more human experiences into my life before I go back.” He huffed out a breath, causing his fringe to fly momentarily off his brow. “Um …” He cleared his throat. Then cleared it again. Then began to cough. Rather a lot, so Daichi handed him his glass of water and moved closer to thump him on the back.

“Are you okay, Suga?”

“Yes,” he squeaked, grabbed the glass of water and took a sip. “I want to do some human things,” he said at last.

“Uh… okay. Like what?”

“C-cooking,” Suga stammered. “And … uh … dancing!  Can you teach me to dance like Saeko was doing last night with Ukai-san?”

_Twirling her around, hands on his waist, gyrating hips and soft smiles._

“I have two left feet,” Daichi protested nervously.

“What?” Suga blanched and stared at Daichi’s feet. “Wouldn’t your toes be the other way around if you did?”

He laughed. “I mean I’m clumsy and can’t dance that well. But I guess we could give it a whirl… literally.”

“Now?”

He was so eager, face upturned and smiling. Fighting the urge to sink next to him on the sofa, take his hand and promise him the world, Daichi hissed out a breath. “I have some stock arriving at the shop today, so I must be there this morning, but later … I promise.”

“Okay!” Suga tossed his head, not looking the least disappointed, then wriggled the remote control out of Daichi’s grasp. “TV, then dancing!”

“I thought you wanted to try new things,” Daichi teased.

“I just need to check what happened after Seung did that mouth thing with Jae Hwa,” Suga replied, excited.

“Mouth thing?”

“Saeko does it with Ukai-san, too.”

“Oh…. Kissing?”

“Yes, that’s it. Thing is Jae Hwa has been kissing Mal-Chin.”

“She did?” Daichi asked.

Suga nodded. “Seung is much nicer though. I hope she kisses him again.”

“I’m sure she will,” Daichi said gravely, adding, “You don’t kiss other merpeople, then?”

“No. Saeko-neesan is kind of obsessed with it now. She says it’s very nice. Is it?”

“Mmm,” he muttered, and looked away determined not to stare at Suga’s  glistening pale pink lips. “I’ll leave you to the drama. Back later.”

“And you’ll teach me to dance?”

“I have promised,” he assured him.

“Mmm, I know, but then Mal-chin promised Jae Hwa he wouldn’t gamble again but he did.”

 

The thought of Suga and how he’d first of all teach him to dance and second how he’d feel with him in his arms, occupied Daichi for most of the morning. The delivery turned up, on time for once, and after unpacking, Daichi knew he should have scooted home, but he stood in his doorway staring out to the sea for a long while. Two days time, three at the most, and Suga would leave.

“What are you so lost in thought about?” Kuroo asked, wandering across the sand with two mugs of coffee in his hand. “Wow.” He peered closer. “You’re looking gloomy.”

“Wondering about taking a chance on something,” he muttered, then sipped the coffee, hoping the steam would cover his flushing face.

“You already have,” Kuroo replied, “if you mean the business.” His eyes narrowed. “You don’t though, do you? Is this personal, Sawamura?”

“I’ve met someone,” Daichi admitted. “I don’t know if they’re interested.”

“The marine biologist or the mysterious Suga?”

He ignored him. “If I do nothing, then I’ve lost nothing, but if I make a move and it’s wrong, then I’ve lost a lot.”

Kuroo drank his coffee, saying nothing for a while but staring at the same fixed point on the horizon. “But if you do nothing,” he murmured at last, “then you’ll never know. Regrets are inevitable, but what would you regret most? Not knowing, or not trying?”

“You sound like you know what you’re talking about.”

He raised his eyebrows. “You think Koutarou and I just got together one night? Just decided to make it happen? God no. And we had so much history, Sawamura. You’ve known whoever this is for a few weeks, that’s all, not years.”

“And you have no regrets at all?”

“When he’s kicking me out of bed to go jogging in the morning, or he forgets to bring the bait when we’re fishing, or he leaves a ring on the kitchen table by not using a coaster, then yeah, I regret it. Totally!” The smirk softened. “But then he’ll say something goofy, or take my hand when we’re watching a movie, and …. It’s worth everything.”

“He doesn’t live here and will be leaving in a few days.”

“Long distance?” Kuroo whistled. “That’s rough, but if it’s worth it, then you can make it work. And if not …” He smiled. “You could make some memories to keep you warm through the winter.”

 

Make memories?  Well, he had plenty of them, enough over the last few days to warm him, but making more. Did he dare?

Well, whatever, a dancing lesson wasn’t going to ruin anything.

“I’m home,” he called out, when he got back, carefully closing the door behind him.

“I’m still here,” Suga shouted back.

“Thought you might be.”  He entered the lounge, holding a small bag in his hand. “Ready to dance?”

“Yes.” Suga peered at him. “What is that around your neck?”

“This is what is known as a bow tie. It’s essential for dancing,” Daichi said solemnly, then twanged at the elastic. “Natty, right?”

“If you say so. And what’s in the bag?”

“One for you.”

Giggling, Suga tore open the wrappings, gurgling with laughter when he saw the vibrant blue bow tie bedecked with fish. “I don’t remember Ukai-san or Saeko wearing these last night, Daichi.”

“Because they weren’t doing it properly. Now….” He bowed low to Suga and extended his hand. “May I have this dance?”

Wriggling the bow tie around his neck, Suga nodded, then stopped, considering perhaps the sheer impossibility of him dancing. “Uhm… but how … I don’t have feet!”

“This won’t be a jive,” Daichi said, bending down and clasping one hand on Suga’s waist, and the other under his shoulders, “but I could show you how we waltz.”

Suga stared up at him, not quite letting Daichi pull him off the sofa, and his hands pressed against his chest. “I thought you said you didn’t know how to dance.”

“I said I wasn’t very good at it, and I’m not, but I know the steps,” Daichi replied, adding softly, “my sister taught me.”

Suga dropped his hands, moving one around Daichi’s neck and the other to his waist. He allowed Daichi to heave him upwards and although they staggered a little, Daichi held on, cradling Suga towards him.

“Stop,” Suga whispered.

“Huh? Sorry, I thought you wanted…”

“You don’t have to carry me like this, Daichi. My tail is strong, and my fins are flexible. He stretched out, smoothing his body against Daichi’s and let his tail fin fall down to Daichi’s feet. “I can support myself a little.”

“Then balance on my feet, and I’ll guide you,” Daichi murmured.

“Are we supposed to have music?” Suga asked, and his breath fluttered against Daichi’s ear.

“Uh… yeah…” With one hand, Daichi fished into his shorts pocket, squinted at his phone and selected a song. “Right, follow me.”

He paraded them both across the floor, remembering the steps from long ago and the one-two-three-four rhythm. Suga’s face was a picture of concentration, tense at first, but slowly relaxing as he let Daichi lead him across the floor.

“What are you laughing at?” he asked Daichi. “Am I really bad?”

“I’m thinking that you’re my ideal partner,” Daichi said. “I can’t tread on your feet, you see.”

“Oh!” Suga’s  cheeks pinked a little. “Well, might I say you’re the best dance partner I’ve ever had!”

“I’m your only one, Suga,” Daichi teased, and tried a turn.

“Not exactly.” Suga tightened his hold on Daichi’s waist, eyes widening as they sped up. “This is similar to something we do underwater.”

“So you can dance?”

“I can swim and glide, twirl in the water and hold someone close. I guess that’s dancing,” Suga replied. He’d lowered his head, resting his cheek on Daichi’s shoulder.

Feeling Suga’s heart pulsate, Daichi slowed the pace. “Are you okay?” he asked. “Not tiring? Does your abdomen hurt?”

“No, this feels good.”

“Do you need to be back in the water?” Daichi persisted, wondering if that was why Suga was now quiet.

“Not yet.” His voice muffled against Daichi’s shirt. “Unless you want to stop.”

Daichi turned again, adding a flourish as he twisted. “Not me. I could do this all day.”

But when the third song came to an end, and his music spluttered on a text coming through, Daichi sighed and came to a halt. “Perhaps that’s a sign,” he muttered, tilting his head so his mouth rested close to Suga’s hair. “I could take you outside again, if you’d like.”

“Is this how a waltz ends?” Suga asked.

“There’s another bow. An acknowledgement of how good your partner was and—”

“Saeko and Ukai-san had a kiss,” Suga said.

“They weren’t waltzing, but yes, that happens too.” He led Suga back to the sofa, lowered him back to sitting, and then took his hand to press to his lips. “Thank you for doing me the honour of dancing with me, Sugawara Koushi.”

“That’s not how _they_ kissed,” Suga said.

“N-no, but they’re a couple and they’re … they’re like Seung and Jae Hwa, and we’re…”

“Not.” Suga looked at his hands, twisting his fingers together. “Saeko said I could be wrong, but I wondered all the same.”

“What?”

“She said it was unlikely you’d like me. And I thought she meant it was because of what I am, but Saeko said it was more likely you’d only be interested in a female human, not even a man human because that’s what happens most above the water. And I guess I knew that because I’ve seen people in the water in their boats or swimming, and I’m watching television and it’s all a man and a woman. Or two men in Jae Hwa’s case and … Sorry, I’m rambling. It’s very different where I’m from.”

He should step back, suggest a drink, go and fill the bath again, or the pool outside. He should definitely not stay in this room and listen to more of this confession, not when there was so little time and he could not promise anything, or allow himself to listen to declarations. He should not sit next to Suga on the sofa, but laugh a little self-deprecatingly and then leave the room.

“Not so different,” Daichi mumbled, and sat on the sofa.

“Huh?”

“I do like you, Suga,” he said and gulped. “A lot.”

“Then … um … can we kiss?”

He took a breath, then took Suga’s hands in his raising them to his lips. “You’re leaving soon, and I don’t want to put any pressure on. Also there’s Shouyou to think of. He doesn’t know I’m … um …”

“Would he mind?” Suga looked puzzled. “Is it that much of a problem?”

“I don’t know and no it shouldn’t be. I just… that’s one of the reasons I’ve held back, though.”

“Oh.” Suga tossed his head, then with a beatific smile, he closed the gap between them, touching their noses together. “He’s not here now.”

“But…”

Suga placed two fingers under Daichi’s chin, angled his face towards him, paused, adjusted, took a minute breath, and then moved in.  Their lips touched, and Daichi heard something like a sigh and a giggle emanate from Suga, so he closed his eyes, interlaced his fingers into Suga’s silken hair, and gave himself up to the kiss.

“Yeech!” Suga gasped.

“Is that a good ‘yeech’?” Daichi asked, breaking apart. “Bad? Indifferent?”

“Interesting,” Suga replied, and snaked his arms around Daichi’s neck. “I have two maybe three days left, so can we practise some more?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with the story. Three more chapters to go!


	10. Instinct

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanting to spend as much time with Suga before he leaves, Daichi leaves to meet the journalist with great reluctance, but is this only a prelude to the bigger interruption in his life?

It was gigglingly easy to kiss Suga. He was enthusiastic about everything, and so lighthearted that Daichi felt he was walking on air every time their lips met. And he liked touching too, liked tracing Daichi’s face and ‘the pointy bits’ again and again. Drawing a fingertip down Daichi’s nose and outlining his mouth with his thumb, he appeared as fascinated with Daichi’s appearance as he’d been at the beginning.

“I need to capture you,” Suga explained. “It’s not like I can take one of those photo thingys with me, so I want to remember everything.”

It was too soon to wish he wasn’t leaving, to give words to the disquiet in his stomach. It had been too long since he’d felt this close to someone. Long? Had he _ever_ felt this comfortable with another person? This content with an intimacy and fulfilment he’d previously sought in the waves. The truth was, as much as he told himself this was a peripheral fling, Daichi was already dreading the hollowness when Suga had returned to the sea.

“Why are you looking sad?” Suga asked and nudged him across the kitchen table.  “Do I need to kiss you again? That seems to make you happy.”

“Not right now,” Daichi said. “Shouyou will be home soon.” He sniffed and wiped his eyes, blaming the onions. “Uhm, I’ll miss this, I guess.”

“Is my chopping that good?” Suga said, holding up the carrot he’d been peeling.

“Not really,” Daichi teased. “There’s at least another carrot in the peel.”

“This is my first time,” Suga protested.

“And you’re having fun, which is all that matters,” Daichi assured him, and dropped a kiss on the top of his head. “Is that towel wet enough?”

“It’s fine. I want to show Shouyou what I can do and then you can take me back outside. We can eat outside tonight, can’t we?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“And we can spend Sunday together, the three of us, before I leave?” Suga questioned, his voice shaking a little, even as he smiled.

“Yeah, Shouyou would like that.”

“And tomorrow?” Suga queried.

“I’ll drop Shouyou off with Kuroo and Bokuto, and then I’m seeing the journalist as Konoha’s bar, but after that I’m free.”

Satisfied, Suga returned to his carrot peeling, humming a little. Well, it wasn’t humming so much as quiet screeching, or ‘yeeching’ as Daichi termed it in his mind. They worked companionably together, Suga occasionally stopping to flip his hair off his face, or reaching out to stroke Daichi’s sideburns, and giggling when Daichi flashed him a wink. Then when Shouyou returned, and propriety was restored, Daichi carried Suga outside to the paddling pool, and served up their dinner. It was a quiet time for them all, Shouyou not even pestering Suga with a thousand questions, but ruminating a little on his day and stifling yawns.

“Tanaka-san’s coming tomorrow, too,” Shouyou said, rubbing his eyes. “Kuroo-san said it was fine if I asked him. I kinda thought he’d be bored ‘cuz he goes fishing a lot with Ukai-san, but he said he’d like to … sorta.”

Recognising Tanaka’s own brand of disinterested interest, Daichi chuckled. “Of course he wants to go, Shou-chan. He could easily have said no. And yeah, he goes out with Ukai-san a lot, but a sailing boat with Kuroo and Bokuto – that’s different.”

“And he might get to see Nishinoya,” Suga chimed. “Noya loves watching boats, especially fast ones.”

“Anyway, bed now as you’ve got an early start and a long, long day ahead of you,” Daichi said, a touch sternly, but Shouyou complied, getting to his feet to trudge inside.

Getting up too, Daichi quirked a smile at Suga.“Back in a bit. Must make sure he cleans his teeth.”

“I bet merpeople don’t clean their teeth,” Shouyou protested. “Or wash behind their ears!”

“We’re in water most of the time,” Suga reasoned, then raised one eyebrow at Daichi. “And we _do_ clean our teeth by chewing on ground up shells and flossing with seaweed.”

It was when he returned that Daichi questioned the truth of Suga’s statement, prepared for him to admit it was a ruse, he was somewhat surprised when Suga reiterated the facts. “And I have to nag the younger ones, especially those that want to fall asleep.”

“Are there many?”

“Uhm, well, Tora swam ahead with another shoal, and Onaga’s almost fully grown, so really it’s just Nishinoya and Kenma-kun.”

“Kenma? Tanaka’s not mentioned him.”

“He’s quiet. Keeps himself to himself. Nishinoya  and Tora are both so loud that—”

“They scare him?” Daichi asked, imagining a tiny merboy, worried beyond his wits at two raucous souls.

“No.” Suga tilted his head to one side, considering. “They tire him, so he hides away. Can take forever to find him, but Keiji’s good at that.”

“You’re a good team, then?”

Suga pondered, then nodded. “I suppose we are.”

“You must have missed him.”

“Missed them all,” Suga said and sniffed, “but this has been an adventure!”

Daichi swallowed, reached across and took Suga’s hand, raising it to his lips. “I’ll miss you,” he murmured.

“Don’t!” Suga said, and retracted his hand. “Sorry… can we save the sad bits for Sunday? A proper farewell then, and have two more evenings of happy stuff?”

“Like what?”

Suga scooted across to the side of the pool, puckering his lips. “Kissing makes me happy.”

***

Kuroo’s knock at the door wasn’t intrusively early the next morning, and Shouyou bounded out of the kitchen, grabbing a bento box of snacks and searching for his jacket and hat before Daichi had answered.

“Tanaka here yet?” Kuroo asked, yawning as he leant against the door frame.

“That sounds like them now,” Daichi replied, peering over Kuroo’s shoulder and spying Ukai’s van.

“Cool.” Kuroo stepped over the threshold. “Just enough time to … uh … ‘avail myself of your facilities’.”

“Huh?”

“Bathroom, Sawamura. Don’t mind do ya?”

“Um!” Shouyou jerked his head up to Daichi, tugging on his sleeve even as he pulled his trainers on.

_I know,_ Daichi tried to say silently, his insides clenching at the thought of Kuroo barging into the bathroom.

“Sorry,” he replied hoping he sounded natural and not idiotic. “P-Plumbing is backed up, otherwise of course. Good job Ukai’s on his way.”

Flapping his hand, Kuroo stepped back outside. “We’ll call by the store. Not a problem.  Yo!  Ukai-san, brought your tools, have ya?”

“What?” Ukai, getting out of his van, scowled.

“Bathroom is all blocked,” Shouyou yelled as subtle as a brick, and dashed over, a smile on his face to greet Tanaka. “Daichi was explaining to Kuroo-san why he can’t use the bathroom.”

“Ah, yeah, right.” Ukai opened the other door, helping Saeko out before Tanaka leapt to the pavement. “You got everything, Ryuu?”

“Uh-huh.” Tanaka’s eyes flitted to Daichi’s house, but realising he wouldn’t get to see Suga, he turned his back on it, standing stolidly like a barricade. “Where’s Bokuto-san?”

“Getting the boat ready,” Kuroo replied. “Not that it will be. He’ll be staring out to sea and pondering ‘the blue yonder.’”

“The what now?” Ukai asked.

“Bokuto Koutarou, hopeless romantic that he is, thinks the sea speaks to him.” Shrugging, Kuroo picked up both Shouyou and Tanaka’s bento boxes, throwing them in the boot of his car. “I’m not saying he don’t have a sense for the sea, it got us out of many a tricky situation, but it’s instinct, you know, and not some kind of magical unicorn connection.”

“There ain’t unicorns in the sea,” Tanaka said, puzzled.

“Nope, you’re quite right. There’s fish and sharks and whales and lot of other creatures, but nothing out of the ordinary.” He turned and grinned at Saeko. “Saeko-san, fancy joining us, too. Gotta be better than being a plumber’s mate.”

She gave him her widest smile, not missing a beat, and linked arms with Ukai. “We’re having a romantic morning together, Kuroo-kun, even if it is spent unblocking a toilet.”

The tension of possible discovery eased, and Kuroo after loading up, drove away, leaving the three on the doorstep sighing with relief. “At least when Suga’s gone, you’ll be able to entertain, right, Sawamura?” Saeko said.

“Mmm, I guess.”  He stared at the sky, noting some clouds on the horizon.

“Is he awake yet?”

“Huh?”

“Suga. The merman in your bath,” Ukai explained. “Is he awake?”

“Yes. I was about to take him some breakfast.”

“And what time’s this journalist coming over?”

“Ten, but I’m meeting her at Konoha’s.”

Ukai grinned, stubbed out the cigarette he was smoking and clapped Daichi on the back. “So, how about you fix us breakfast, too? Then we’ll keep Suga company while you’re schmoozing, eh, Saeko?”

“Hmm…” She wandered towards the house, but before she stepped inside, she inhaled, before squinting at the sun.

“What’s up, sweetheart?”

“Ah, nuthin.” Her smile became wide again. “Now, Shou-chan was tellin’ us you make amazing pancakes, Sawamura.”

 

***

Suzumeda Kaori was in Konoha’s when Daichi arrived. With long brown hair tied up in a pony tail, and glasses on the end of her nose, she was sitting up at the bar scribbling notes looking serious and professional. Seeing him, she stumbled to her feet, bowed (causing the glasses to slip) and immediately offered to pour him a coffee from the pot she’d ordered. He apologised, despite not being late, and after some preliminary introductory questions, she smiled, apologising for disturbing what looked like a beautiful morning. “Bet you can’t wait to get out on those waves.”

He chuckled. “Maybe.”

“You must miss it, though?”

“Must I?” He sipped his coffee and decided to be more reasonable. “I don’t miss the racketing around, and it’s not like I don’t surf at all. Now it’s for fun and not competition.”

“But you could have had a few more years at the top,” she persisted. “You’re not _that_ old.”

He raised his eyebrows, blinking a little at her tactlessness. Behind them at the bar, Konoha snorted. “That sunshine on the open seas has given you a rugged look, Gramps.”

“N-no, that’s not what I mean,” she spluttered. “But you could have surfed competitively for another ten years at least, couldn’t you?”

“Responsibility came calling,” he murmured.

“Your nephew, right? You gave it up for him.”

“Yup, but it wasn’t a question of giving things up for him. The circuit’s a lonely place at times, and you become selfish.”

“Selfish?”

“We take from the sea. It’s our livelihood but we don’t give enough back. Here I’d like to redress that balance.”

“By teaching more surfers?” A note of scepticism pierced her generally reasoned questioning.

“Teaching them to love and respect the ocean, to stress the importance of it to our lives and well-being. To ingrain on them that this is a two-way thing and—” Aware his face was flushing, he tried a self-deprecating laugh, hoping he wasn’t alarming her, but Suzumeda was staring with nothing but interest on her face.

“How will you start?” she asked, after a short while, voice low.

He smiled back at her, and the idea that had been percolating in his mind finally found words. “Beach clean ups, for a start. And removing debris from the sea bed if we can. The locals do what they can, but tourists can be … careless.”

“You’re a newcomer to the area,” she said. “Aren’t you worried this’ll look … uh … a bit like the city boy saviour?”

“Uhm… Well, I have a voice right now,” he replied, and gestured to her notepad, “but I’d like to use it to emphasise the other voices around here, not obliterate them. Besides, isn’t it important for everyone that the beaches are safe and clean and free from injury? I know of someone injured on a rusting bicycle wheel that had been thrown away.”

“A bicycle wheel? Who was that?”

Behind the bar, Konoha fumbled on the glasses he was placing on a shelf.  And just then, the door from the outside blew open, sending a gust of wind through them as a figure stepped inside.

Shirofuku bowed then waved. “Hey, not late am I?”

“Just in time!” Konoha said, his voice steady. “Coffee?”

Suzumeda looked across puzzled.

“Sorry,” Daichi said. “This is Shirofuku Yukie, a local _and_ a marine biologist. I asked her here as she’s got more expertise than me and … um …”

“Amplifying the local voices,” Suzumeda murmured, but she didn’t sound unhappy. She inclined her head to Shirofuku, indicated another barstool where she could sit as they exchanged pleasantries.

“So,” Suzumeda said at last. “Sawamura-san was telling me about someone who was skewered by bicycle wheel. Do you know them, Shirofuku-san?”

“Um… not really,” she prevaricated, and started to cough.

“A diver,” Daichi replied smoothly.

“Might I speak to them?” Suzumeda asked. “It would make a good story to illustrate your campaign.”

“I know that guy,” Konoha said, breezing in to pour them both more coffee. “Hasn’t he left now?”

“Yes,” Daichi said firmly.

“Shame. The personal angle always helps sell a story.” She creased her brow, then tapped her pen on the counter. “Your accident wasn’t caused by man-made debris, was it?”

“My accident?  H-how do you know about that?”

“Research, Sawamura-san. I was told you were plucked from the waves and were fortunate only to have a broken arm.”

“Yeah, fortunate indeed. And I could tell you I was hit by a whole bicycle if you’d like, but the truth was that I was unlucky and hadn’t paid close enough attention to the conditions…” He squinted at Konoha, who’d moved away from the bar to the window, his profile silhouetted against a darkening horizon.

“It’s getting dark, could you turn the lights on, Konoha-san?” Suzumeda asked.

“Storm brewing,” Konoha muttered still staring at the window. “Might have to get the shutters down. Ugh, nuisance, but it’ll hopefully just be a small squall and not affect trade too much.”

“Shit.”

“Are you scared of thunder, Sawamura-san?” Suzumeda asked, her face bright and smiling, as open and unaware of the gathering storm as a butterfly about to approach a Venus fly trap.

“Shouyou…”

“What about him?” Konoha asked, his fingers on the glass pane as if testing the vibrations.

“He’s out on the boat with Kuroo and Bokuto. Tanaka, too.”

He turned around, facing Daichi, half in darkness, but his voice was soothing. “They’re experienced and have sailed through far worse.”

“But Shouyou isn’t.” He got up and ran to the window, scanning the horizon for any sign, but all he could see was the sea swell and the white foam crashing onto the shore, its roar sounding even through the glass.

“They won’t let anything happen to him,” Shirofuku began to reason, but just then a large sheet of lighting illuminated the bar.

Daichi held his breath, counting in his head, but he’d barely got to three before the thunder rolled in. “I’ve got to go,” he said, and dashed to the door just as his phone rang.

“Sawamura.”

“Ukai!”

“Yeah, we’ll get the lifeboat out if necessary, okay.”

“It’s bad then.”

“Can’t talk and drive,” Ukai snapped. “I’ll meet you at the dock, okay! And bring Konoha!”

“What’s happening?” Konoha grabbed his arm.

“I can’t ….” He swallowed. “We’ve got to go. Ukai’s on his way, asked for you as well, but the fact he called…”

“He won’t know anything for sure,” Konoha replied. “And you know Kuroo and Bokuto are skilled sailors. They’re not going to let anything happen to him.”

_I once thought I was invincible._

“I’ve got a radio here,” Konoha continued. “Shirofuku can operate that.”

“Sure!” she agreed, and got to her feet, joining them at the window.  She jerked his head towards Suzumeda. “I better keep her occupied.”

“What do you mean?”

Leaning towards them Shirofuku hissed, “Saeko’s brother is out there. There’s no way in hell that she’ll leave this up to humans.”

He’d heard enough and dashed out of the bar. The rain was pelting down now, hard bullets splattering the walkways and promenade, the roar of the waves filled his ears, vying over the crashing thunder. With Konoha barrelling after him, Daichi ran, little caring about the slippery ground, heading for the dock. There were people running the other way, desperate to get under cover, some grumbling, some excited at the prospect of the sudden storm, and Daichi pushed his way through them, fighting to find Ukai.

He wasn’t with the lifeboat when Daichi and Konoha got to the dock, but a yell from over the bay caught everyone’s attention to Ukai as he scorched across the headland and scrabbled over the rocks towards them. This wasn’t the direction from Daichi’s house; he’d been out and turned back already.

“Where have you—”

“Mermaid Bay. They left from there.”

“They?” he queried. But he knew.

“You think Suga would have stayed where he was hearing Short stuff and Tanaka could be in trouble,” Ukai growled.

“But he’s not fit yet. Not for this!”

“He knows the currents and the area better than anyone, either from the sea or on land. Look, we might not need him at all. There’s a good chance those two lugs have managed to avoid the worst of the storm and have beached further up the coast.”

“You think that’s likely?” Konoha asked.

“They’ve not sent out a flare yet,” Ukai yelled over the wind. “That’s a good sign.”

But then there was a shout from the lifeboat as a red light shot through the air, and the radio burst into life.

“Mayday, Mayday!” It was Kuroo’s voice.

Ukai wrenched for the receiver as he commanded the others with a wave of his hand to launch.  “This is Ukai, over.  “We’re coming now, over. State your situation, Kuroo, over.”

“Man overboard! Two of them,” Kuroo yelled and his voice broke. “Shou-chan fell in, and Koutarou jumped in to get him. Waves swept them away. Tanaka NO!”

“What’s happened!” Daichi screamed.

But the radio was deathly silent, Kuroo either not answering or unable to.

“You. Stay here!” Ukai ordered, pushing Daichi away from him.

“No chance.”

“You’re a liability.”

“I’ve crewed a lifeboat before,” Daichi shouted. “I’m not just a surfer bum, Ukai!”

It took a moment for the news to register, and then the other crew member, the one who’d been silent up until now, pulled on Ukai’s sleeve. “We’re a skeleton crew already. We need him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SHHHHRRRRIIIIEEEEEEKKKKKKK
> 
> 2 more chapters to go! Thank you for reading. 
> 
> Quick question: who do you think in the fourth crew member?


	11. Search and Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lifeboat launches, but will they get their in time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes, so sorry for the delay, and I left it on a real cliffhanger.

There was barely time for introductions before Daichi leapt on the boat and accepted the lifejacket from the guy manning the radio.

“Get to the front!” Ukai ordered, as he powered up the engine. “Watch out for Saeko and Suga, too. All things being equal, they should get there way before us!  But…”

“What?” Daichi demanded.

“Suga’s injured and Saeko’s not exactly in peak condition now she lives on land. No way I could tell her to stay put, though,” Ukai rasped.

The boat sputtered into life and Daichi who was still tying on his life jacket, jerked forwards.

“You’re okay?” the other guy asked. “Is your arm fully mended?”

“Huh? Yeah, it is.” Daichi stared at him, taking in the close cropped hair and tanned skin. Tall, squarely built and muscular, he was now unwinding lifebelts ready to throw out into the ocean. “Do I know you?”

“Kai Nobuyuki,” he replied. “Volunteer crew.”

“And paramedic,” Ukai snarled. “Made sure not too many questions were asked when we hauled your ass into the ambulance. Hold on tight, Sawamura. Kai, see if you can get Kuroo back on the radio!”

The waves buffeted the boat, the squall around them roaring in their ears. And although the thunder and lightning had abated, the wind was picking at the waves, lifting them high then letting them crash.  Despite all this and the rain slicing at his face, Daichi kept his eyes peeled on the sea, watching and waiting for sight of the boat, for the chance Hinata might be visible, or failing that Suga and Saeko.

Another flare went up, and at the same time, Daichi spied the flip of a tail whipping across the waves.

“It’s Saeko,” he called out. “I can’t see Suga. And there’s the boat.”

“I can see Kuroo!” Konoha shouted. “He’s not alone. That’s … that’s…”

Kuroo, struggling with the sails and a boy, holding him back against whatever action he was about to take, and Daichi’s stomach clenched, because the boy was taller than Shouyou and instead of a shock of orange hair, he sported a close crop. A sudden wave hit the boat, spraying right over them and sent Kuroo sideways, slamming him into the portside.  And Tanaka, free from his grasp, slid to the prow of the boat.

“STAY WHERE YOU ARE!” they all heard Saeko shriek and then she submerged.

But whether Tanaka heard her or not was unclear because the question of if he’d been about to jump became negligible when another figure launched himself at the boat and grabbed Tanaka’s wrist. They remonstrated, arguing back and forth but although Tanaka looked for all the world as if he were about to spring into the sea, he stayed where he was. And even through the driving rain and the clouds as black as pitch, nothing could dull the silvered hair. Suga released Tanaka’s hand, and with a nod, dived under the surface, leaving Tanaka to let out the strangest sound, a roar and a yowl, unearthly as if from the depths of the ocean.  Saeko reached the boat, but instead of hauling herself on board, she added her voice to her brother’s as she swam her way around to the other side of the boat.

“What are they doing?”

“Call of the sea, Sawamura,” Konoha answered. “Suga’s told Tanaka to ask for help.” He leant across the boat, gripping Daichi’s knee. “He’s loud. They’ll hear him.”

“And they’ll help?”

“Sure,” Konoha replied, but he didn’t sound convinced and remembering Akaashi’s dismissal of himself as reckless, Daichi doubted the other merpeople would put themselves at risk of being noticed to help out more humans.

“On the right!” Kai shouted, pointing.

Daichi switched focus, hoping to see Shouyou in his lifejacket bouncing along the waves, but what scudded past was an oil drum, rusting and with jagged edges exposed to the air.

“HE’S OVER THERE!” Kuroo’s voice reached them, haunted as it whipped round the wind, and Daichi, dragging his eyes from the debris, and stood up, despite Ukai yelling at him to ‘sit the fuck down!’.

It was Bokuto, face up, it looked like, sprawled it seemed as if floating on a calm tropical sea and not the tempest beneath him. Unconscious, Daichi thought, and his insides clenched, tightening further when he saw Bokuto was alone and not clutching Shouyou to him.

Tanaka threw out a life belt, disobeying Saeko’s call to stay still, but it landed adrift, halfway between the boat and Bokuto. He began to reel it back in, but the boat rocked precariously and he was flung to the railing and let the rope slip.

“Get ours ready!” Ukai shouted to Konoha, who nodded, his face grim.

But someone had reached him. Not Saeko, she was steadying the boat and scanning the rest of the ocean.  And it wasn’t Suga either, who was halfway there, his arms cutting through the waves. A merman with dark hair, a merman who Daichi thought wouldn’t bother, but whose face was a picture of fierce concentration.  Akaashi Keiji threaded his arms around Bokuto’s chest, and swam on his back, tugging the dead weight of Bokuto towards Kuroo’s boat.

“What the!” Kuroo yelled, but Akaashi didn’t stop. Saeko hauled herself onto the boat, mouth set in a rictus grin. Her tail was not fully formed, the months living on land appeared to have retarded the ability to switch back, but her legs were covered in scales. With Akaashi nearly at the boat, and Suga turning back to help, she yelled for Tanaka and Kuroo to help drag Bokuto to safety.

“Help him,” Akaashi ordered then focussed his attention back on Bokuto. “You’re safe, Koutarou. Wake up now!”

“He’s alive,” Saeko shouted to Ukai as they hauled him onto the deck. “But his head’s bleeding.”

“Where’s Shouyou?” Daichi shouted. “Can anyone see him? SHOUYOU! SHOUYOUUUU!”

Alerted, Suga cupped his hands to his mouth, let out another screech, and swam to the lifeboat. He held up his hand, clasping Daichi’s arm. “I’ll find him, I promise!” Then with intense concentration, he shot away, not looking back.

“Why aren’t we following?” Daichi demanded.

“Check Bokuto first,” Ukai said, trying to temper his words as he looked directly at Daichi. “He might know something that could narrow down our search.”

Pulling alongside, Kai straddled the gap between the two boats and leapt beside Bokuto. “Hey,” he said, and lightly slapped his face, before turning Bokuto on his side. “Bokuto-san, wake up!”

Checking his pulse and then whacking him on the back, Kai’s shoulders relaxed as Bokuto suddenly began to cough up a stream of salt water.  “We need to get him to hospital!”

Bokuto stopped coughing, his body became still, but he raised one hand to his brow.

“Hinata? Where’s Shou-chan?”

“We don’t know,” Kuroo replied and wrapping the sail ropes around his arm, he knelt by Bokuto’s body.

“He was with me,” Bokuto cried out, his face creased into tears. “He was in my reach but then, this wave…. What do we tell Daichi? He was in—”

“How was he?” Saeko interrupted.

“He was yelling and stuff, apologised for letting go of the rail, said he’d seen something and … and then this … something hit me on the head and—”

“He’s alive!” Daichi exclaimed, unable to keep quiet leant across the railings.

“I’m so sorry. He was so close to me and …”

“Was he hurt?” Daichi demanded.

“No… I don’t think so … and … he had hold of some driftwood or something,” Bokuto said, struggling to sit, his voice a little fuzzy. “I’ll go back in and—”

“No, you’re going to stay put and we’ll get you to hospital,” Kai ordered.

“Hinata Shouyou?” Akaashi blinked and directed his question to Saeko. “That’s the child with orange hair, yes?”

She nodded.

“He’s my nephew,” Daichi urged, not sure it made a difference. “Please … he’s just a kid.”

Akaashi didn’t reply, but flipped away from the boat. And as quick as the storm had started, it subsided, a whipping of wind still tussling with the sails. Ukai, assessing the situation and the condition of Kuroo’s boat and Bokuto, took command again.

“Kuroo, head back to shore. Saeko and Tanaka stay with Bokuto. Kai, are you okay to leave him and come with us?”

He touched Bokuto’s head, did a quick eyesight check, and then dipping into the medical box, Kai produced a large foil blanket wrapping it around Bokuto.

“Who rescued me?” Daichi heard Bokuto ask.

“A friend,” Saeko said, non-commitally. “And … uh …” Aware of her legs she knelt down, hiding them under the sheet and her shirt.

“Looked familiar,” Bokuto muttered as his head flopped to the side.

“Kuroo!” Ukai barked. “Did ya hear me?”

Dazed, Kuroo looked up from Bokuto’s face and stared out to the sea. “What … just happened there? How did that man—”

“You need to head back to shore now and get Bokuto to hospital.”

“But Shorty… ”

“We’ll look for him.” Ukai helped Kai back on board, then gripped Daichi’s shoulder. “He’s wearing a life jacket, has hold of some driftwood and the sea’s not too cold. He’s got a fighting chance. Better than that because we’re on our way, and he’s acquired not one but two guardian angels.”

“Make that three,” Saeko said.

“NOYA!” Tanaka yelled.

And bobbing along the much calmer sea, was a much smaller merman, a boy probably, with a strange tuft of blonde hair and an orange tail which he flicked in the air as he partially rolled across the water’s surface.

“Hi guys! Suga-san tells me there’s a problem.”

“Who the fuck is that?!” Kuroo gaped, then shook his head. “No, I don’t want to know.”

“We’ve lost Hinata,” Tanaka shouted. “He fell off the boat.”

“The orange kid, right?” Noya gave a sliver of a smile.

“Yeah, and wearing an orange life jacket,” Saeko chipped in. “Have you seen him?”

“Nope, but Wataru thinks he did. He’s gone with Suga-san towards the caves, told me to tell ya.”

“Hold on tight,” Ukai called out. “And again, look out for … uh … Suga and the others. Konoha?”

“Yup.”

“Get on the radio and ask Shirofuku about the tides and currents. Tell her Kuroo’s on his way back, and to get an ambulance ready.” He fired up the boat again. “C’mon, we’ve got a kid to find.”

 

“Tide should take him close to the caves.” Shirofuku was saying. “Current at this time of year isn’t powerful, over.  But be aware there’s another storm on the way.”

Shirofuku’s brand of calm over the radio proved an oasis, and Daichi found his thoughts crystallised and the panic which had pervaded his entire being, steeled into determination. _‘He’s still alive. He’s still alive.’_ He told himself over and over, and fixed an image of Shouyou clinging to driftwood in his mind.

“Any immediate hazards we should be aware of?” Konoha asked.

“Uh…” she sounded muffled, hesitating before replying. “No shark sightings. They keep away when … um … _visitors_ are around. Are there … um … many around?”

She wasn’t alone. Guarded in her speech, Suzumeda was obviously still there.

“Four we know of,” Konoha replied.

“Okay, that’s good. Tell Sawamura to focus on the barrel and not the close out.”

“Will do, over and out.” Konoha raised his eyebrows. “Take it that means something.”

He nodded. Shirofuku was referencing the hollow part of the wave, the dream way to travel through the fast churning sea and not the moment you crash out completely. _‘We’ll find him safe. We’ll find him safe.’_

Ukai revved the boat harder and across the now smoother sea, it raced. Alongside them, Nishinoya grabbed at a lifebelt Kai flung out to him and began to laugh, exhilarated at the sudden speedy ride.

“WOOOHOOOO! This is GREAT!” He held onto the belt, rolling under the water and back, smile still firmly attached.

“We might need him,” Kai said in an aside to Daichi.

“Huh?”

“Noya’s young and for him the sea holds no danger. The only human he knows is Tanaka who thinks himself indestructible.”

“What are you saying to me?”

“He doesn’t mean to be insensitive,” Kai continued. “We’re all worried about your nephew and we’ll do our darndest to find him.”

“ROLLLLLING THUNDERRRRRR!” Nishinoya screeched and laughed again.

The spray from the sea drenched Daichi’s face, the scent of salt and the ocean pervading his lungs. The place he’d always felt so alive, could still be a harbinger of doom. He knew the dangers, Shouyou did too, and there was no guarantee of anything, but as Nishinoya continued his gleeful ride, and the caves hoved into view, a sense of calm settled on him. He was in the barrel and had no intention of wiping out.

“There’s Onaga-kun,” Konoha gestured out to the side. “He’s coming towards us. Ukai, slow the boat!”

The merman approached far more hesitantly than Nishinoya despite his size. This was the youngster, whom Suga had spoken of as almost grown,  a long yet slender tail and broad shoulders belied his years, but his face and eager expression kept an illusion of youth.  He was blinking as he swam closer, his eyes scanning the crew before settling on Konoha.

 “Suga-san wanted me to find you and show you this.” He held something in the air, then turned his face taking them all in until he found Daichi. “He thinks this is—”

A slip on shoe. Black with orange lightning flashes at the sides. Old shoes, suitable to be worn on a boat trip. Daichi’s legs buckled, the blood draining from his face and he clutched the railing.

“It’s his shoe… Th-that’s Shouyou’s.”

Ukai’s face had blanched too, and Konoha spluttered for breath. It took Kai to lean forwards, his hand on Daichi’s shoulder as he took the shoe from Onaga and asked, “Where was this?”

Onaga bit his lip as if unsure why everyone had gone quiet. “I saw it floating close to one of the cave entrances … Suga told me to tell you it was the pink one, Sawamura-san.”

“Where is Suga now?” Ukai asked. “And Akaashi?”

“Suga’s searching around the caves at the headland, and Akaashi-san’s checking the islets and rocks further out to sea.”

 “What does Suga mean by the pink one?” Kai asked Daichi gently.

“Uh…” He blinked away the tears which had welled into his eyes. _Focus, Sawamura!_ “Suga was telling us about a cave that looked pink and silver—”

“I know the one,” Konoha interrupted. “Might be too difficult to moor, Ukai-san.”

“Right!” Ukai decided. “We’ll head for Suga, see what he’s found. If the caves need searching and it’s too rocky to land, we’ll leave that to Sawamura and Kai. Konoha and I’ll then scoot off to Akaashi. Nishinoya?”

The young merboy popped his head up from the waves. “Uh-huh!”

“Find Akaashi. Let him know we’re on our way. Onaga-kun, show us exactly where you found the shoe, will ya?”

They followed, a little slower than Daichi would have liked, and he battled to keep his mouth shut. But he understood. If they went too fast, they could miss clues. So Ukai steered where Onaga swam, while Konoha and Kai scanned the sea and the rocks for any sign. And Daichi leant his voice to the search.

“Shouyou,” he called. “Shouyou, can you hear me?”

It was a matter of minutes before the coast thinned to the headland, and even from the distance out to see, Daichi could see the beaches change to jagged rock and the hollow indents of caves forming in front of his eyes.

“I can see Suga,” Konoha yelled as they approached the headland. “He’s swimming towards us.”

“And I can’t go any further,” Ukai growled. “You were right. It’s too rocky.”

“Dinghy,” Kai suggested. “We can row there, eh, Sawamura-san?”

But Daichi had heard enough. The waves had picked up a little, and although his preferred method of water travel wasn’t an option right now, there was another avenue open to him.  He stood up, ignored Ukai’s sudden exclamatory curse, and hauled himself over the side.  The water shocked him out of contemplation and into action, his focus—as Shirofuku had said—now on the barrel of finding Shouyou rather than the crashing out.

“Or, yeah, you could swim,” Konoha called after him.

His arms cut through the waves. Onaga swam alongside, a little surprised it seemed, that a human could swim so well. But Daichi was desperate and that lent power to his arms and legs. And Suga was closer, his tail fin smoothing his way through the water fast and true.

“Have you seen him?” he yelled to Suga.

“Not yet,” Suga said. “But that could be a good thing.”

“Huh?”

“He’s wearing one of those … um … puffy jacket things. The ones that float?”

“Life jacket, yes.”

“We’ve … um … not seen him floating, so as Onaga-kun found his shoe near the cave entrances I’m thinking he’s in there.”

The worries crowded again. Shouyou’s body smashed against a rock, just as Daichi’s had been. “He could have been washed in!”

“No … no …” Suga gave a tentative smile, then reached out and grabbed Daichi’s hand. “I know you’re terrified, but please, I’ve looked in the other caves, and the only ones left that he could be in he can’t be swept in by chance. There are two ways in, one is through an underwater tunnel, but he’d never find the entrance, so he’d have used the other. Shouyou would have had to climb and maybe that’s how he lost his shoe.”

His grip tightened around his hand and Suga’s smile became gentler but still hopeful. His voice soft against the crush of the waves soothing and optimistic. “Come,” he whispered. “Come with me, and I’ll show you where I think he might be.”

Onaga swam towards them, “Suga-san? Want me to come too?”

“Can you wait for Kai-san? He’s coming on that floaty thing,” Suga replied. He pointed towards the headland. “Then both of you can check that cave while we check the other.” Tugging Daichi’s hand, he swished his tail and pulled them both along, riding the waves with his body as smoothly as Daichi did on a board.

And the small gesture of Suga’s thumb pressing into Daichi’s palm gave him renewed hope.

“Stick close to me,” Suga said. “I know the way through the rocks.”

They chicaned and span their way to the cave, and as they approached, Daichi understood what Suga had been talking about. It was a cave, but the entrance was higher up the cliff face and not an open arch. More like a window in a fortress, there was no way anyone could be washed in there by accident, but perhaps someone trying to get out of the tempestuous seas would clamber the rocks.

“You think he’s—”

Suga hushed him. “Can you hear that?”

A faint and shrill ‘AAHHH’ reached them. Daichi’s fingers clenched around Suga’s causing him to flinch.

“SHOUYOU!”

“D-DAICHI?” came a plaintive reply.

He waded closer and cupped his hands to his mouth. “Are you hurt?”

“A l-little. J-just my ankle.”

“I’ll get to you. Don’t worry!” Daichi promised and sized up the rockface in front of him.

“Um… no!”

“What?”

“I can climb up… I can…. OW!”

“Stay still. I’m climbing up. Don’t worry about a thing, Shouyou. We’ll get you out of there.”

“I’m cold,” Shouyou called out.

“Keep talking to me,” Daichi ordered, his pulse beginning to quicken. “It’s a short climb, Shou-chan, I’ll be there very soon.”

But without a rope, he’d be using footholds.

“Underwater entrance,” Suga hissed as he tugged on Daichi’s arm. “I can swim to him.”

“Yeah… good idea,” Daichi smiled with gratitude but then, just as he was about to relay the information to a chattering Shouyou, he heard another voice, lower, gruffer, barely there, but clearly replying to whatever Shouyou was saying.  He grabbed Suga’s hand, mouthing a ‘shh’.

“Shouyou, are you alone?”

“Uh…” He gave a nervous giggle. “N-not really? Are you?”

Exchanging another glance with Suga, preparing to tell him to leave to warn the others to remain out of sight, Daichi took a breath. “Our guest’s with me,” he said at last. “He’ll … uh … stay out the way if necessary, Shou-chan, okay?”

And the giggle became a chuckle. “It’s fine. He means Suga-san. I told you he’d been staying with us. Now he’ll be able to help me, too.”

 


	12. The Call of the Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who is in the cave with Shouyou? Friend or Foe? Is Suga safe? Are the rest of the mercrew secure? And what will happen now Summer is almost upon them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading this story and for Ola-chan for creating such a perfect AU. Some of her characters didn't make it into this, but the touches like Keishin's tattoo did.

“Who the heck—”

“KENMA!” Suga shrieked. “What are you doing in there?”

“He says there were a lot of boats and the storm, so he swam inside here and decided to wait for someone to find him,” Shouyou replied.

With a fluttering sort of smile, Suga said, “Sawamura-san will climb up the rocks and I’ll swim to you. Kenma, can you stay with Shouyou until one of us reaches him?”

“Uh sure.”

Kenma’s gruff voice, quieter than Shouyou’s nonetheless reached them so Suga urged Daichi forwards. “I thought Kenma might need more persuading, but he clearly won’t mind seeing you,” he whispered, and then he submerged, leaving the water to lap around Daichi’s waist.

Wading to the rock face, Daichi started to find footholds. “Shouyou, are you badly hurt?”

“Uh, not really. I kinda fell. It’s just my leg.” He hitched a breath. “It’s pretty dark in here.”

“Don’t worry.”

“Uh, yeah, I’m not worried about me…” Hinata trailed off and Daichi could practically see him puffing out his chest even as his voice quavered. “The ledge is slippy, so I wouldn’t want you to fall in.”

“I’ve got a torch attached to my life jacket,” Daichi replied. He inched up the rockface, little caring about the scrapes his knuckles picked up. Reaching the ledge, he heaved himself up and peered through the archway, blinking as his sight adjusted to the gloom.

Shouyou sat on a small rock, one leg out stretched, the other dangling in a pool of water. And next to him, hiding his face behind a curtain of hair was another merman—a merboy, Daichi corrected—a little bigger than Nishinoya, but withdrawn, shoulders hunched as he touched each of his fingertips together, flicking the occasional glance at Shouyou.

“Daichi-san, I’m down here!” Shouyou waved.

“Yes, I can see.” He nodded his head. “Kenma-kun, I’m Shoyou’s uncle and Suga-san’s friend. He’s on his way. Are things all right with you?”

A small, tight nod. “Who else is out there?”

He cast a glance across the ocean. Ukai had reached the islets with Konoha and Nishinoya, while Kai was rowing towards the caves with Onaga. On the horizon, he could see a stream of fishing boats, but they were a way off yet, still hauling their catch to the surface. “Only friends,” Daichi assured him. “The lifeboat crew, Akaashi-san and Onaga-kun.”

“Where are Kuroo and Bokuto-san?” Shouyou asked, fretful. “And, Tanaka. Is Tanaka okay?”

“Yep. They’ve headed back to the shore with Saeko. Bokuto cut his head, but he’s okay. Very worried about you.” Daichi swallowed. “We all were.”

 

Even in the half-light, Daichi could see the Shouyou’s head droop. “I’m sorry. I saw something in the sea and got too excited and I forgot everything you’d always told me and I kinda let go and then I fell in.”

“He saw me,” Kenma admitted. “I’m sorry. I was too close.”

“You’re okay and that’s all that matters,” Daichi muttered. He sniffed and then felt his way along the ledge, wondering the best way down, but the light from the sun was limited and he wasn’t sure where was safest to land.

“Hey, I’m going to throw down the torch,” he called out. “One of you needs to catch it, and then shine against the wall so I know where to climb.”

It landed with a small splash; he heard a swish and then Shouyou saying thank you before a click and a small pinpoint of light flickered below.

“You can do it,” Shouyou said, a slight chuckle in his voice.

And looking down, Daichi saw Kenma in clearer relief now, his eyes wide as he peered at the torch.

“On the wall?” Daichi asked after a beat.

The spotlight moved up to Daichi’s feet, and he saw that although it wasn’t a long drop, it could be tricky if he landed badly, which presumably Shouyou had. He scaled down the face of the cave, lowering himself into the water until he stood waist high in the pool.

Shouyou’s smile was brighter than the torch, and he held out his hand, shifting forwards a little on his rock to guide Daichi closer. Following suit, he reached out with his hand, waded to Shouyou’s side and then, causing embarrassment or not, he enveloped his nephew into the biggest bear hug he could.

“Ow,” Shouyou muttered, but he was squeezing back hard, too. “Thank you for finding me.”

“I was scared, too,” Daichi whispered, and pulling back he stared down into Shouyou’s eyes.

“Is Bokuto-san really okay?” Shouyou gulped. “It was my fault he was hurt and—”

“They’re checking him out at the hospital. He’s hurt his head, but that was all. Suga’s friend, Akaashi, got to him before he could swallow too much water,” he tried to joke.

“Akaashi-san?” Kenma blinked. “I didn’t think he’d… He always tells us to stay away.”

“Um… yeah.” Daichi frowned to himself, wondering what had caused Akaashi’s change of heart. It wasn’t just for Shouyou or Suga’s sake, but he’d actively dragged Bokuto to the boat, risking exposure when the lifeboat was so close it made barely no difference. But then he’d… “Oh!”

“Daichi-san?”

“He knew him,” Daichi murmured, absently stroking Shouyou’s hair. “He called him Koutarou.”

Kenma frowned. “He only knows Konoha-san. He must have mentioned it.”

“Mmm, yeah, that must be it.”

But Kenma was still pondering. “Which one is Bokuto-san?”

“Funny hair that sticks up,” Shouyou replied promptly. “He’s great. Amazing sailor and knows lots about milkshakes.”

“I doubt Kenma-kun knows what a milkshake is,” Daichi said smiling.

Tipping his head to the side, Kenma sucked on his lip. “They both had funny hair. And they were both loud!”

“Bokuto is grey,” Shouyou said and pulled his own hair upwards in two spikes. “Like this. But Kuroo-san’s hair is black and  more … uh …”

“Askew,” Daichi offered, and flattened half of Shouyou’s hair over his eye. “He’s very proud of his look. And I guess they’re both loud, but they have their reflective moments. On the ocean, sailing, they work very well together and barely need words.”

“Hmm.” Kenma shook his head slowly as if reassessing his first opinion, then he ducked under the water, flicking his tail but with minimal effort and Daichi watched as the ripples subsided to nothing, before he touched his lips to Shouyou’s forehead. “How’s your foot?”

“Uh, it’s okay.” Shouyou flexed and held back a wince. “It was bleeding, but Kenma wrapped it up in something.”

“A bandage?” Daichi queried, and held the torch over the ankle. “That looks like algae.”

“Mmm, it’s kind of slimy, but it stopped it bleeding.”

And then they both heard splashing, and the water lapped around their feet as two figures broke through the surface. Suga smiled as he swam towards them, Kenma kept behind him, his eyes fixed on the water.

“Kenma, well done,” Suga said, reaching out to touch Shouyou’s foot. He met Daichi’s eyes. “This is a … um—I think Shirofuku-san called it a moss—which dulls the pain. Applying it early like this, should also help with any bleeding.” Cradling Shouyou’s ankle, Suga peered closely, then smiled faintly. “I know it hurts, Shou-chan, but it won’t for long and you’ll be up and doing that running thing in no time.”

“Sawamura!”

They all jerked their heads up towards the cave entrance.

“That’s Kai-san,” Daichi assured Shouyou. “WE FOUND HIM!” he called out. “Shouyou’s safe. We’ll be coming out soon… except…”

“What’s the problem?” Kai demanded.

Wading back to the rock, Daichi scaled the wall again, poking his head out of the archway to speak to Kai. “Shouyou’s hurt his foot. It’s fine but he won’t be climbing, so I’ll carry him on my back.”

“I can get a rope.” Kai grinned, his eyes crinkling at the sides. He raised his voice. “I could probably find a net as well, so we can bundle him up like a big fish and haul him to sure like the catch of the day.” Then he paused and glancing over his shoulder he gestured to the horizon.

Daichi followed his gaze, his eyes widened and he whistled a sigh as he spied a flotilla of fishing boats making their way back to shore.

Kai broke the brief silence first. “Yeah, no problem getting help, but … uh …” He held up his phone. “Ukai’s been on. According to Shirofuku, there’s a big storm encroaching. Onaga’s gone to find Akaashi.”

“What’s the matter?” Suga had swum closer.

 “Boats,” he murmured to Suga. “A lot of them. And a bigger storm’s on the way.”

Suga had turned away, murmuring something to an anxious looking Kenma, but when he faced Daichi, his smile was in place, not as bright as before, but determined and frank.

“How close are the boats?” he asked.

“I can see the sails, but not the people,” Daichi replied, and started to climb back down. “We have maybe twenty minutes to get out and back to the shore. It’s possible, especially with Ukai and lifeboat crew. He’ll get us back to Mermaid Cove and—”

Suga shook his head, the smile didn’t falter but the set of his eyes became determinedly grim. “I need to go with the others,” he said, sniffing, and gestured towards Kenma. “It’s time for us all to leave. They’ve held out for me long enough.”

“B-but, you said you weren’t leaving ‘til tomorrow!” Shouyou began to protest, and getting to his feet he let out a yelp, causing Kenma to flinch, although he swam back to the rock and took Shouyou’s hand, levering him back to sitting. “Can’t you stay?”

“Shouyou, stop,” Daichi began, then stopped, unable to find the words to placate his nephew when he could hardly find words to placate himself.

A cool finger briefly touched his arm. “I’m sorry,” Suga muttered. “I’d have liked a last day with you, and Shouyou of course. I’d have liked …” He sniffed again, and a tear glimmered in his eye.

“To know what happened in your drama,” Daichi joked, but his voice was thick.

Taking a breath, Suga continued with a glance back at Shouyou, encompassing him in his wide smile. “To eat more marshmallows! But … um … we have to go. Akaashi will be worried about Kenma, and I …” He gulped again. “I’ll come back, if that’s all right with you both.”

And was this it? Was this all the goodbye they were going to have?

“Of course,” Daichi husked.

“But why can’t you stay in here,” Shouyou protested. “We could visit every day and—”

“Shou-chan, this isn’t our home,” Suga replied, his eyes not leaving Daichi’s face. “The tides and current are good for us right now, but the storm could change that. And summer isn’t a good time for us to be so close to shore.”

“Too many people,” Daichi continued, when Suga trailed off. “Shouyou, we need to say goodbye.”

“Will you visit?” Shouyou demanded, turning to Kenma. “Will you, please? Only I’d love to know more about the caves and that moss stuff on my foot and what it’s like living under the sea and—”

“Shouyou, give Kenma-kun time to—”

“Yes!” Kenma piped up, to Suga’s clear astonishment because his eyes widened and he whiplashed back to stare at him. “I want to know … stuff, like Tanaka talks to Toro and Noya about commuter games?”

“Huh?” Shouyou blinked. “Oh, computer? Yeah, yeah, I got some of them. I can show you.”

Suga’s hand slipped in Daichi’s, giving a brief squeeze. A small, sad smile flickered on and off his face. _Kiss me,_ he seemed to be asking, but his eyes had shifted towards Shouyou and after squeezing Daichi’s hand a second time, he relinquished it, and then beamed far too brightly.

“Kenma-kun, we should get a move on, too. Akaashi will be concerned about you, you know.”

Shrugging a little, Kenma tilted his head to the side, studying Shouyou before giving a brief bow and swimming closer to Suga.  Daichi waded past them both, crouched down and waited for Shouyou to climb on his back.

“Come on,” he said when Shouyou hesitated.

“Uhm, Daichi-san?”

“What?”

“Aren’t you going to say goodbye to Suga-san?”

“I have.”

Shouyou touched his shoulder, and crept closer to whisper in his ear. “You can kiss him if you want.”

“What?”

“Kiss him. Suga looks kind of sad to be going, and so do you.”

“Uh…” He found himself blinking furiously, unable to order his thoughts in a coherent pattern. “W-why would I kiss him?”

“I know you have,” Shouyou replied, sounding matter-of-fact. “I saw you in the kitchen.” He gave a quick sniff. “You should say goodbye properly, Daichi-san, just in case—” Gulping Shouyou said no more, but he scrubbed at his nose.

Dropping a small peck on Shouyou’s temple, Daichi turned towards the pair about to submerge.  “Suga.”

Suga glanced across at him, his expression in the gloom unreadable, except for a slight wobble to his lip. “Um… yes.”

“Wait, will you?” he called, and began to wade towards him.

Catching up, he reached out for Suga’s hand, pulling him slowly towards him, watching as the ripples around Suga’s tail smoothed to nothing once they were both still. He stared down at him, then flicked his gaze towards Kenma who was pressing his fingers together as he waited.

“What’s the matter?” Suga asked, breathless, nervy.

“Shouyou wants us to say goodbye properly,” Daichi murmured. “I think he’s worried if we don’t, then you might not return.”

“I said I would,” Suga replied stoutly.

“Still…” Daichibent his head down, and tilted Suga’s chin upwards. “Will Kenma mind?” he whispered.

There was no reply. Suga swished forwards, pouting his lips to Daichi’s mouth. They were soft and plump, warm and inviting, and as Daichi responded, parting his lips, the kiss intensified. Suga wound his arms around Daichi’s neck, just as Daichi’s hands slipped to Suga’s waist, and they pressed close. He shut his eyes intent on imprinting every feeling to memory, to keep him going through the long, long summer months.

But aware of his young audience, he broke away, finishing with a soft sigh and whispering in Suga’s ear. “This can’t end. You will come back, yes?”

“I said I would,” Suga replied. Then he chuckled, held Daichi at arms’ length and reached out with his finger to touch Daichi’s sideburns. “You mustn’t get rid of the pointy bits, though.” He turned his head towards Shouyou. “ Don’t eat all the marshmallows, Hinata-chan. Save some for me and Kenma, okay? Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye!”

And now the bright smile wasn’t brittle at all, but wide encompassing and as bright as the sun. With another laugh and a wave, Suga twisted in the water, linked his fingers with Kenma’s and quickly submerged. Daichi watched for second or two, waiting for the water’s surface to smooth to nothing, and then he waded back to Shouyou.

“Come on,” he said, hoisting him onto his back. “Kai’s waiting, and I want to get you to the hospital in case that foot’s broken.”

“They’ll be back,” Shouyou said, his eyes on the darkening water. “Suga-san will make sure of it.”

“Yup.” Approaching the rockface and waiting for Hinata to wrap his hand securely around his neck, Daichi paused before starting to climb. “You … uh … didn’t mind me kissing him, then?”

 “Nah.” Shouyou yawned, and rested his head on Daichi’s shoulder. “I’m tired.”

Recognising a change of subject, through either awkwardness or some things being far more important to Shouyou, Daichi didn’t press the subject. He scaled the rocks, carefully but with some speed, and very soon he was lowering Shouyou into the dinghy.  And after a quick examination of the injured ankle by Kai, a cursory appraisal that he didn’t think it was broken, but he might need stitches, they rowed back to the lifeboat. It was a quiet trip back to shore, elated that they’d found Hinata, but also solemn for what might have happened. Ukai looked as if he wanted to scold the boy straight off for not sticking to the boat rules, but a glance from Daichi caused him to button up his lips and face the front, remarking only that Tanaka would be pleased to have his kouhai back.

***

The nurse, having finished stitching Shouyou’s foot, left them alone to get their things together. Helping Shouyou on with his socks, Daichi paused and then snuck a look at his nephews face, marvelling at the calm and the utter trust he put in his uncle as he tried not to wince.

“Hey,” he murmured. “Are you really okay with me kissing Suga? If you want to talk about it…”

“Huh?” Shouyou blinked back at him, then after taking a breath, he smiled a touch sadly. “I kinda knew before you met Suga-san. Mom once … well, she was giving me this talk about babies and love and stuff and she said, ‘People love all sorts of other people, and it doesn’t matter as long as there’s respect and no one’s—”

“Hurt,” Daichi whispered. He sniffed and wiped the beginnings of a sudden tear from his eye. “She said the same thing to me. Your Mom was amazing. I only wish—”

Shouyou clutched Daichi’s hand. “Yeah, so do I, but I think she’d be happy for us moving here and everything.”

He’d been fourteen and in the first flush of a crush on a boy, terrified of what that meant. And Megumi had said the words with no drama, with no great swell of emotion, but calmly, almost matter-of-fact, but taking his hand much as Shouyou was doing to give his a reassuring squeeze.

“How about,” Daichi said when the quiet moments had stretched and Shouyou began to fidget, “we go and get a milkshake.”

Nodding emphatically, Shouyou reached for his crutches, then stopped. “Can we see Bokuto-san first?”

 

“YOU KNEW! YOU KNEW ALL THE TIME!” Bokuto’s voice, strident and not a little angry, raged down the corridor, reaching Daichi and Shouyou as they approached his hospital bed.

“Maybe we should come back another time” Daichi pondered aloud, but Shouyou, trying out his crutches, wouldn’t listen.

“Bokuto-san,” he called out. “Are you all right?”

Anger gone, Bokuto’s furious face split into a watermelon smile, eyes lighting up when he heard Shouyou’s voice and he held out his arms. “HINATA! Buddy, you’re okay! What’s with the crutches? Hey, I was told he was fine!” He glared at Konoha lounging against the wall, and also to Kuroo sitting by his bed.

“I _am_ okay,” Shouyou replied, careening towards him, a little unsteadily but with great determination. “I cut my foot on a rock when I hid in a cave, but it’s good now.”

“He’s had a few stitches,” Daichi continued, “and it’s a sprain. Nothing broken. Shouyou was worried about you, though, Bokuto and—”

“I wanted to say sorry,” Shouyou interrupted. “But I saw someone … uh … something, and I got surprised and let go of the rail and I know I shouldn’t have done, and I won’t ever again.”

Propping himself up, Bokuto lifted Shouyou onto the bed, holding him close. “That’s okay, Hinata-chan. I think I can guess what or who you saw. Pretty unbelievable, right.”

“Huh?”

“Only,” Bokuto continued, with a glare at Konoha, “no one’s going to tell you that you’re mistaken, right!”

“Hey!” Konoha protested (but with a grin) “I was eight years old and you were some grub kid I was supposed to be friends with because our moms went to school together!”

“But you knew Keiji was real and let me think for years I’d imagined him!”

“The next year, you’d forgotten all about him,” Konoha retorted. “And I wasn’t about to remind a blabbermouth like you!” His phone beeped and he turned away to read a message.

“I coulda kept a secret!”

“Really?” It was Kuroo speaking, a weary sort of smile on his face, tiredness and worry etched into the lines of his face. “Koutarou, you get excited about everything. I’m not saying Konoha was right, but you were both kids, and … well … we all have a secret to keep now, don’t we?”

Konoha glanced over his shoulder. “Yukie’s texted me. She’s coming over with that journalist, who’d like to interview you.”

“Me?” Daichi shook his head. “No, I’m taking Shouyou home. She can call me if she has more questions.”

Snorting, Konoha showed him the message. “Nope, she wants to speak to the brave sailor. She heard you were injured by a discarded oil drum, Bokuto, so … uh …”

“Me?” Bokuto perked up, grinning again. “I get to be famous.”

“Interesting angle to the piece on Sawamura and his beach clean-up campaign,” Konoha replied. He gave a sigh, stuck his phone back in his pocket and faced Bokuto properly, expression fond and serious. “Look, I’m sorry I let you think Akaashi wasn’t real, but you came back telling me you’d spent some time playing with this new kid and you were sure he was a merboy and how you’d had so much fun, and all I could think of was how secretive Akaashi had always been and how I’d been stuck at home helping my dad with chores, when I could have been with you guys.” He tried a smile, then switched it off when Bokuto didn’t automatically grin back. “If it helps, he asked after you once or twice.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, he thought your hair was wild. Think he was a bit … uh … starstruck by your … um … well you.” Konoha shrugged. “It’s also possible that little old me was jealous.”

“What of?”

“The ease you made friends,” Konoha replied, staring at his feet. “You still do.”

There was a pause and then Kuroo let out a deep groan. “I have to take back everything I ever said about Koutarou’s connection with ‘the blue yonder’ don’t I? You’re telling me merpeople are real, aren’t you?”

There was a resounding yes from everyone in the room, and Kuroo sinking back into his chair closed his eyes. “Wake me up when they reappear so I can say hello, will ya? But for now, I need sleep.”

***

 

The summer had been good. With a flood of bookings and day trippers coming to the beach, Daichi added more classes, taught surfing to kids and adults of all ages and experience and raked in enough money to not only keep himself and Shouyou through the winter if the money dried up, but also to promote the beach clean up campaign. Spearheaded by Shirofuku and her Marine Biology department, Bokuto became the poster boy, the picture taken when he was in the hospital.

It was late September and Daichi woke early, taking a moment to appreciate the silence and then levered himself out of bed. The sky was clear and only a faint breeze ruffled the trees outside. Making himself coffee, he opened the back door and took a lungful of air.

_Yes._

He finished his coffee, stepped back into his house, then pulling on his clothes, he hotfooted it down to the surf shop and from there to Mermaid Cove.

“Hey.”

He wasn’t altogether surprised to see Saeko there. The sea air was sending a message, and he’d thought she’d answer its call.

“Ukai not with you?” he asked.

She shook her head. “He wants a lie in, and Ryuu and Shouyou were chatting most of the night, so I doubt they’ll be awake before ten.”

“Missing the best part of the day,” Daichi replied.

“Oh yeah.” She inhaled. “You know, they might not be here yet.”

“But you think they’re here, too, don’t you?”

She nodded. “It feels right.”

Saeko waded into the water first. With most of her time spent on land these days, her transformation was no longer instantaneous, and he watched from the shore as she kicked and flipped her feet, suddenly laughing when her bluey green scales appeared.

“Catch you later, Sawamura!” she cried.

He paddled out after she’d left, not wishing to disturb her time in the ocean, and scanned the horizon waiting for a wave to ride. 

And then it appeared and he was inside the barrel of the wave as it tunnelled around him. The spray misted his face and all he could hear was the roar of the sea. And this was wonderful. Alone and free of competition, this was far more life affirming. A validation of the choice he’d had to make because this was real and joyous and nothing could quite touch this high.

There was a sound, like a laugh and it might have been his own—he wasn’t entirely sure—but it was enough to distract him and—

He crashed out, yet bellowed his delight to the ocean. Floating, he stared up at the sky. He’d bring Shouyou here soon, drag him out of bed if he had to and show him how wonderful the sea could be.

Tugging his board back to him, it felt a touch heavier than usual as if it were snagged on a rock, so he pulled harder, and then heard that laugh again.

He froze, waiting for the owner of the voice to appear, knowing he wasn’t wrong, but suddenly terrified he was, and that everything he’d assumed about the day was an error.

“Suga?”

His surfboard floated back to him, bumping into his back. There was no sign of Suga, except that the board was bobbing up and down far more erratically than if it were just being carried by the waves, Then he saw the tips of eight fingers clutching, and with a sudden splash, Suga burst through the water’s surface, a smile as bright as the sun, droplets of water sparkling like diamonds scattering from his hair.

“You were looking good out there, Daichi!”

“You’re back!”

“I said I would!” Suga said, and flipped his hair off his face. “Now, I want to know everything that’s happened. How is Shouyou? Do you still have any marshmallows left? Tell me all—especially what’s happened to Jae Hwa. Did she end up with Seung or Mal-Chin?”

“I have no idea!” Laughing, Daichi grinned back, giddy with joy, relief and the beauty of the sight in front of him. “Shouyou is very well, thriving in fact, and eating me out of marshmallows! When did you come back?”

“Just today,” Suga replied. He tilted his head to the side. “I thought I’d have to wait here for much longer to see you. Oh, did … did you see someone before me? Has Akaashi made it to shore? He pretends he’s not interested, but since he helped save Bokuto-san, he’s been extra curious and asking me lots of questions about your friends. Or was it Kenma? He has been so excited since meeting Hinata that he’s been counting the days ‘til we return. He hasn’t told anyone that, but we know. Which got Tora excited, and Noya of course, I didn’t think they’d still be with us, but, well they are.” He paused _very_ briefly and chewed the side of his cheek. “So, have you seen anyone?”

Shaking his head, Daichi levered himself to sit astride his board, then reached for Suga’s hand, helping him to perch on the side, his tail fin flipping at the waves.

“I just knew,” he said, and touched Suga’s fingers to his lips. “It was in the air, like a scent or a sound, or… I don’t know, it’s hard to explain, but Saeko knew.”

Suga took a breath, edged closer towards Daichi, and with his fingertips faintly traced not just his lips and nose and chin, but to up to caress the sideburns, and his grey eyes became darker and far more intense.

“It’s the call of the sea,” he murmured. “I knew you’d hear it, Daichi. I just hoped you’d listen.”

Pressing his lips to Suga’s, Daichi gathered him close, his hands sliding downwards to his waist. The board rocked, the waves lapping over them, but the kiss intensified until Daichi had to break apart for air.

“I will always listen,” he whispered. “Because that call is you, Suga. It always will be.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End.
> 
> Complete.
> 
> Fin.
> 
> Thank you everyone.

**Author's Note:**

> In 2015, my amazing and talented friend, Adelaida, created a Suga-the-Merman au, and I started writing the story to go with it. I'd written three hundred words, but being me, I had several things going at once and this got put on such a far away backburner it went off the boil. However, this year, I was inspired again because I happened across some of the art again, and then a week after I'd started writing again, I discovered something momentous and life-changing had happened to my beautiful friend. Anyway, this is for her.


End file.
